shall discourse more at large of the distruction of Rome in the .17 chap. Wherfore within the space of .136 yeares Rome came seuen tymes into straungers handes and was sacked most cruelly and fell on the edge of the sworde and was led into captiuitie Councell how the godly shall demeane theÌ„selues in so great euils which hath long stricken with the swoorde and led away all nations prisoners This was the iust iudgement of God And S. Ihon annexeth a doctrine howe the godly shulde behaue theÌ„selues in so greate troubles and aduersities Here that is to wit whilest the Romanes reigne and rage also in those blouddy and cruel alterations and destruction of the Romane Empire the Sainctes shall nede to haue patience or perseueraunce and fayth These two vertues shal kepe the faithfull that they perish not also Of patience the lord speaketh in S. Luke the .21 chapt In your patience shal you possesse your soules Of faith speaketh blessed Iohn and this is the victory that ouercometh the world euen your faith Impatience and incredulitie hath led away many into the deniyng of the faith to idolatrie and to al vngodlines So learne we also how to arme our selues in our dayes against all vngodlines The lord deliuer vs from euill Amen ¶ Of an other beast which cometh vp out of the Earth that is to saye of Antichrist The .lviij. Sermon ANd I behelde an other beaâ—â— câ—â—â—â—â— vp out of the Earth and he had two hornes like a lambe and he spake as did the Dragon The Apostle S. Paule playnely testifieth What is th ende of this prophecie Rom. 15. such thinges as are written to be written for our learnyng that through the patience consolation of the scriptures we maye haue hope wherfore we must also applie therunto these things present For Christ the lord of all when he foresawe how greatly sathan should by his chosen membres the olde and newe Romane Empire afflicte the church would haue vs dilligently admonished of euery thing to the intent that al afflicted persones should hereof learne patience and conceaue comforte and hope and not be discouraged with the heauy burthen of euilles Like as he hath therfore diligently described the olde Romane Empire and shewed as it were pâ—yntyng with the fingar what mischief it should worke to the church admonisshed al to haue faith patience right so wil he from hence forth describe poperie or Antichristianisme in the which descriptioÌ„ he setteth forth before our eyes what so euer the sainctes shall suffer that beyng warned before they maye abide more manfully persecution and lesse yelde to mischauntes The secoÌ„d beaste cometh not forth tyll the first be taken awaye And in goodly order beginneth he to sette forth Antichrist after the Romane Empire torne and taken awaye For Daniel sayeth that a little and small horne shoulde arrise vp emonges the ten hornes and three of those hornes to poole downe plucke of and caste awaye and so to atteyne vnto greate power For he signifieth that the Romane Empire beyng diuided and brought now vnto decaie Antichrist shal arrise whiche should procure to himselfe a newe and countrefet Empire And S. Paule sayeth also that Christe shall not come vnto iudgement till Antichrist haue gone before and that he shall not come nother vnlesse this be firste taken awaye whiche hindereth and letteth that he can not come The whiche S. Hierome and other holy expositours do vnderstande of the Romane Empire 2. Thess 2. whiche muste be plucked vp and taken awaye and that then shall Antichrist arrise But the Maiestie of the Empire was distroyed aboute the yere of our Lorde .480 when Odacer inuaded Rome For from that time by the space of .300 yeres and more ther was no Emperour of the Weste after Augustulus And besides this vnder the Emperour Iustinian Rome was brente and layde waste of Totila Sins the whiche time the Bisshoppes of Rome haue begonne to loke a lofte and to thinke vpon a newe kingedome The secoÌ„d beaste of the Earth And therefore the Lorde sayeth that this beaste arriseth of the very earth The kyngedome of our lorde Iesus Christe cometh from heauen and bringeth to heauen Papistrie cometh nother of Christ nor of his doctrine but cometh out of the Earth that is to witte of euill meanes Ambition auarice treason and crueltie What ministers of the churche Christ ordeyned is easely perceyued by the Gospell of Iesu Christ That he forbadde them gouernement supremacie superiorite and maioritie as they terme it appereth of the .18 and .20 chapt of S. Matthew and .22 of Lukâ— Therefore do the Actes of Apostles and the doctrine of Peter testifie that Peter was a Minister and not Lorde of the Apostles muche lesse Prince of the citie or Empire of Rome For they lye lowde that saye howe Rome and Italy are the Patrimonie of S. Peter geuen him of the Lorde At the first the Apostles and Apostolicall men ministers of churches gouerned the churches equallye neyther ded one take vpon him more preheminence than an other Which thyng I am able to proue by many testimonies of auncient wryters yf nede requyred Aboute the counsell of Nice and a litle before that tyme when churches were greatly multiplied were ordeyned and custumably receyued Metropolitanes instituted in dede by a laudable but yet mannes ordinaunce that is to witte in a certen prouince or head citie was ordeyned a Byshop or Pastor which shoulde haue as it were theÌ„ ouersighte of the reste and shoulde serue for the calling of Synodes or assemblees Yet was it than dilligently prouided that he shoulde not be called Primate leeste any manne should thinke himselfe preferred before others in power but in order Nother was the Byshop of Rome at that tyme exalted aboue all others but there were dyuerse Metropolitanes whereof the byshop Rome was one The Niceyue counsell confyrmed that same custome and woulde haue it ratified Socrates in his ecclesiastical Historie the .5 boke the .8 chapt reciteth many Metropolitane churches in Asia S. Hierome to Euagrius and in an epistle to Titus sayeth playnely that in oulde tyme churches were gouerned by the common counsell of priestes or elders and that time Byshops and priestes were all one After by the custome of the church not of the veritie of the Lordes ordinauÌ„ce I rehearce Saincte Hieromes wordes Byshops were preferred before priestes yet muste they gouerne churches together And of that same custome Howe the Bisshop of rome came to his supremacie yea rather of the abuse of the custome Antichrist had his beginning For Boniface Bishop of Rome began fyrste to take vppon him dominion ouer the churches of Affricke But he was immediatelye repressed by the sixte Affricane couÌ„cell where at Sainte Austen is red also to haue bene After that began also the Byshop of CoÌ„stantinople to chalenge to himselfe the Supremacie for this cause chiefelie that Constantinople was than the courtelyke Palace and chiefe Citie of the Empyre Howe beit
suffring of God 128 Lōg suffring of god contēned 93 Loue of God goes before our loue 116 Loue of God originall of all verteuz 116 Loue of Chryste incomparable 22 Loue of our neibour perteyneth also to christianitie 277 Lumbards planted in Italye 431 M Magik of Rome 557 Magistrats office toward heretiks 53 Magistrats how far they are to be obeied 370 Magog Iaphets sun 610 Mahomets beginnynge 269. lawes 270. religion patched 126 Mahometrye when it began 608 Mammon 124 Manhod of Christ 162. 163 Manicheus heresy 244. 248 Mankind deuided in to Iewes and Gentils 223 Manna hid are secret 83 Marchaundiez leful 124 Marchaundiez of the Pope 549 Marcus Anthonius verus 194 Mariage corporall and spirituall 443 Mariage in the script 563. of the lamb 564 Markes of the faithfull 442. of Antichrist 422 Martyrs most plentiful in heuē 196 Martyrs ought to be honored not called vpon 78 Martyrs what maketh 77 Martyr cause maketh not turment 197 Maruelling of Iohn Daniel the godly 514 Mary the virgin 352. inferior to popish priests 263 Masse 170. patched 126. 127 Masking and bankets 81 Matrimonie 563 Matrimonye defileth no man 443 Maximila prophetis 91 Maximian 194 Mayzim a God 609 Measur for measure 544 Measuring for entēding to build 305 Mediator only Christ 203 Members how they are attributed to God 141 Men of ij sorts 256 Mercy of God trusty only 224 Mercy of God toward sinners 134 Mercy of God exceding 97 Mercy God forgets not euen in the extremity of hys punishmēt 190 Mercy of God iustifieth vs no merits of man 639 Merits 565. of man 248 Merits of man haue no place in our iustificacion 639 Merits of our owne or others 460. 462 Merits and intercession of saints 84 Metropolitās first ordeined 387 Michael Seruetus 246 Michael captain against the Dragon 356 Michael typ of Christ 356 Millan warres 190 Millenaries error 221 Milston drowned 556 Milston cast into the sea 536 Mingle mangle christianitie 126 Ministers of the Churche are Aungels 589. are figured by wytnesses 313. are defended and preserued by Chryste 103. are forbodden Gouernement c. 386. they re dewtye and office 300. c. 590. to be obedient 305. to be feruent 302 Ministeries effect 302 Ministerie of the Thyatirenians 88 Miracles trew and fals 397 Mixture vnlawfull 126 Mockers of religion 643 Modestie preposterous 506 Monarchies figured 372 Mone token of alteracions 349 Mone as blud 207 Moneths .xlij. 310. fyue 257 Monotelitans heretiks 269 Monsters and wunders 435 Montanists 90. 91 Montanistes heresy 244 Morning star knoledge increasing 101 Mount for spirituall meaninge 648 Mountains seuen 517 Mountains betoken reames c. 210 Mountains figures of kingdums 244 Mouablenes figured by waters 524 Mourning 550 Multitude is no good defense of errour 107 Multitude no dew prouf of religion 524 Mungrels gospellers 127 Munks honest lay men 255 Murmuring in persecucion 195 Murmuring at God remoued 150. 152 Murther of diuers kinds 280 Murtherers 643 Musik 169 Mutinie in persecution 195 Myters of Bishops 261. 389 N Nakednes 128 Nakednes of the papistes open 498 Name of the wryter of thapocalyps why it is added 677 Name new what 84 Names of men for nomber 334 Names for notable men 106 Name and estimacion 66 Name of the beast 424 Name of God 578. of the iudge 579 Name of God wryten in forheds 671. geuen to the faithfull 121 Name of Christ is faith of Christ 76 Nazarians heresy 52 Nero persecutor 194 New doctryn is not to be lookt for 118 New lerning 447 New lerning of Rome 453 New name 122 New name what it sign 84 New song signifi c. 171 Newter 127. 501. how they shal be orderd in the last iudgement 588 Nicodemits 541 Nicolas a filthy heretik 59 Nicolaitans errour 80 Nicolaitans of our tyme. 81 Notes and markes of the elect 443. 444. c Number certain for vncertain 334. 272 Number of the name of the beast 424. 426 Nuns and friers 196 O Obediens to whom it is dew how far 370 Odacer king of Rome 528 Odours ar praiers of saints 237 Oecolampadius for authoritye of thapocalys 4 Offens punished 556 Omnipotencie of God 487 Oppression sign by treading vnder foot 309 Order of thapocalyps 347 Organes 169 Originall sinne 247 Oth what 292. 294 Oth or swearing of God 290 Ox and Asse yoked together 126 Oyl figureth matter of preching 31◠P Paciens 62. 117. necessarye in trobles 385. of saints 456. of the Thyatirenians 89. lefull vnlefull 51. 54 Paintings of the last iudgement 584 Paintings proffit and commoditie 2 Paines of the vngodly after thys lyfe 619 Pains of hel euerlasting 455. c Pale hors 190 Palme token of victorie 225 Papists ar gentils 308. are figured by froggs 495. are exhorted to turne to Christ 425. are Cataphrygians 97. fals wytnesses 313. if they be saued or no. 226. theyr coūterfait Christianitie 66. 67. errour about power of saīts 154. their pride and bragges intollerable 338. their idolatry 644. their stubbernes 441 Papists described 347. c. beginneth 386. is new 447. passeth far all gentilitie 610. is way to perdicion 226. is figured by a womā why 510. shall fal 546 oght to be shūd vertuous lyfe also practyzed 277. first chief principle therof 390 Paradys 666 Paradys is euerlasting bles 61 Pardons 640 Parricidie of Antichrist 513 Part for inheritaunce 646 Part second of thapocalyps 32 Passion of Christ not feyned 268 Pastours dewtie 113. to watch 104. theyr office toward heretiks 53◠Patmos the Ile 28 Paulus Samosatenus 245 Peas and quietnes in the church regarded 29 Pelagians confuted 640 Pelagius doctryn 247 Penauns 55. 55 Peny sign a great prys 189 Perdicion is not to adnihilate 344 Perfytnes and imperfytnes in saints 104 Perfytnes in non 110 Pergamos churche 71. Seat of satan 74 Permission of God 185. 532. c. Persecutions premonished 303. from whens they cum 323. by the Dragon 364. by the Romains ten 379. by Antichrist 309. 321. maketh not a martyr 77. of the churche 193. causes therof 195. when they shal end 451. shall neuer ceas till the worlds end 584. theyr tyme is short 202 Persecutors set on by the Deuill 68 Perseuerās 119. in godlines 118 in faith 319 Persons thrie 180 Persons of the trinity discerned 20 Pestilens or plage 191. 43 Peter heretik 268 Peters seat is heuen 490 Petrarch of Rome 537 Phocas emperour made the Pope head of churches 519 Philadelphia a citie of Lydia 111 Philosophers patriarks of heretiks 243 Phrase of scripture 45 Pictures of the last iudgement 584 People compared to waters 524 Peoples office toward heretiks 53 Pillers figure of treuth 286 Pillers erectīg to what end 120 inscripcion 12 Pipin captain of the frēch kings garde 430. begins to rein 435 is author of the Popes kyngdum 409 Pit bottumles 252 Plages 320. 191. theyr cause 481 Pleasures what they brynge 538 Pleasurs of Rome 551. c. Pledges of Christ 564 Poderes a priestly garment 35 Poks
to the .xxi. Chapter and disputeth of the moste iust iudgement of God against Babylon the whore of Babylon and the Antichristians finally against all wycked and impenitent persones The seuenth and last vision propoundeth to the eyes of all the faythfull the glory and blysse euerlastyngâ— of Sainctes And verely thys diuision of the woorke hath a great grace and affinite with the rest of the thynges which in this boke are all in a maner treated by the seuenth nuÌ„brâ— Let the reader followe whiche he wyll What profit is in the Apocalipse Nowe of these thynges euery man may perceyue the thys booke is altogether Apostolicall and exceadynge profitable to vs all especially whome the ende of the worldâ— hath ouertaken And this booke shall bee easier for vs fâ— that all thynges nowe are in a maner accomplyshed Daniell was thought to haue tolde of starke dreameâ— when before the Monarchies he prophecied the Monaâ—chies But after those thynges were accomplished whicâ— he prophecied he semed vnto many to haue compiled an hâ—story The selfe same I am sure thou wylt iudge also thys same boke of Saint Iohn A fewe profittes only of mâ—ny we shall recite First we haue in this booke a moste full discription Christ reignyng in glory our kyng I saye and Byshop And howe he gouerneth the Churche and is the Sauioâ— of all faythfull We haue also a moste gallaunte descriâ—tion of Christes Churche and howe the same maye be buâ—ded repared and maynteyned Than haue we a perfâ— description of Antichrist of his members and Synagogâ— of his counselles craftie deuises kyngdome crueltie aâ— destructions of the same From the whiche it byddeth 〈◊〉 beware Moreouer we haue an abrydgement of Historâ— from Christes tyme vnto the worldes ende Finally an absolute and certayne prophecie of thyngâ— to come that we neede not to haue the prophecies of Mâ—thodius Cyrill Merline Briget Nolhard certen triflers Furthermore we haue a great consolation and comfort of the churche in aduersitie whylest boeth we see thâ— Lambe to open the Seales and that all thynges are doâ— by Gods prouidence and that there is an ende of euylleâ— And that the churche shall bee euermore in dispitee of all thâ— Deuyls in hell Last we haue a moste plentifull and sure doâ—trine of the Iudge and last iudgement of paynes and of tâ—wardes All these thinges I say shal the treatise it selfe shewe plainly for our edefiyng through Iesus Christ our Lord. OF THE TITLE OF THE whole worke and exposition therof The second Sermon ☞ I said the whole boke was conteined in sixe partes Thre membres of the first part Now must we loke on the first part Which hath chiefly three members The title beginning and brief narration For this present we wyll only speake of the Title whiche is thus THe reuelatioÌ„ of Iesu Christ The first Chapter whiche God gaue vnto him for to shew vnto his seruauntes thinges whiche must shortly come to passe And he sent and shewed by his aungell vnto his seruaunt Iohn which bare recorde of the word af God and of the testimony of Iesus Christ and of all thinges that he sawe Happy is he that readeth and they that heare the wordes of the prophecie kepe those thinges which are written therin For the time is at hand This title is plentifull The title of the worke and vttereth all profitable circumstaunces that are to be declared in the beginnings of bokes First is set the Title or inscription of the whole worke that is the Apocalipse or reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche verely was opened or reuealed by Christ Iesus him selfe This title streightway proueth The reuelation of Iesu Christ that this worke is no mans inuention but a godly doctrine As that whiche was opened by our Lord kyng and priest Iesus Christ out of heauen from the right hand of the father executing there the office of the high Byshop as yet teaching vs profitable thinges and albeit it be called also the reuelatioÌ„ of Iohn yet is it chalenged to hym for none other cause than for that as scribe he wrote and set it forth FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce is that reuelation Againe it is yet more playnly declared from whence this Reuelation is Euen of God hym selfe For he saieth which God namely the Father gaue vnto hym to wytte to Christ For in the holy and blessed Trinitie there is a distinction of persones And albeit that all thinges of the father be the sonnes also And all thynges of the sonne the fathers lykewyse Yet the scripture mentioneth the father to geue vnto the Sonne and the Sonne to receyue of the Father Whiche thynge all the auncient wryters haue full Godly expounded to be done by the mistery of dispensation For the Sonne receyued somewhat of the Father as man whiche otherwyse as the very Sonne of God sayeth Father Iohn 17 glorifie thou me with the glory which I had with thee before this worlde was Moreouer the Sonne is the wysdome word and mouth of the Father by whome God in tymes paste and nowe spake and speaketh to the Fathers Prophetes Apostles and to the vniuersall churche The Father by dispensation gaue to his Sonne this office that he should be Byshop For no man hath sene God at any tyme The only begotten whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath reuealed vnto vs. Let vs knowe therfore this same to be a Reuelation Diuine whiche God the Father louynge mankynde hath reuealed by the only Byshop Christ vnto hys Churche And so it ioyneth together the Father and the Sonne that neuerthelesse the holy distinction of persones remayneth safe To what vse and to whom it is reuealed Nowe also is added to what ende God the Father hath reuealed or geuen the gyft of reuealing to wytte the office of priesthod to his Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ to the intent verely that the same beyng reuealed he myght shewe it and as it were set it before the eyes of his seruauntes to wytte his worshippers and Christians which are called the seruauntes of God for theyr wyllyng obedience And as the seruaunt of a Lorde is a seruaunt and oweth to his Lord all that he hath or is worth So we owe vnto God our selues whole and all ours or els we be free and not bounde Here is also declared vnto whom this reuelation is opened Iohn 8 To all the seruauntes of God If therfore thou be glad to be called the seruaunt of God heare this boke and remember it And knowe that this boke is prepared for thee of God After he compryseth in fewe wordes What thinges are reuealed what Christe reuealed to Iohn thynges that must shortly come to passe The destenies therfore of the Churche are recited what good and euyll thynges shall happen to the Godly and lykewyse what punysshementes must be inflicted to the wicked And let no man gather of this woorde must necessitie as though God wrought not freely How good and euyll
be noted the goodnes of Almightie God The scripture expounded whiche declareth to vs him selfe the hardest places of the Scripture Where be they therfore that accuse the Scripture of obscurenes and contende that it can not be vnderstaÌ„de let vs here marke also the coÌ„mon maner of speakyng of the whole scripture seuen starres The phrase of the scripture be seuen Messengers The seuen lightes are seuen Churches For signes receyue the names of the thinges although they be remaine in theyr owne substaunce and bee not chaunged into another This the very contentiouse persons do graunte also whiche in the woordes of the supper this is my body will acknowledge no figuratiue speache at all Starres be called Aungelles Aungelles be Gods Messengers pastours of churches so called in the ii iii. chapter of Malachie For God sendeth preachers as Ambassadors to the people and willeth them to be hearde in like case as himselfe Luke .x. Iohn .xiii. Let no man therfore tary till the Lord him selfe come downe from heauen againe and preach â—nto vs. Euen now he preacheth to vs by his Messengers whiche preache his that is to saye the woorde of Christ yf â—ou contemne them you contemne Christ Preachers be â—alled starres by reason of theyr bright and Heauenly docâ—rine and for their purenes of life 2. Peter 2 Iude. 1. Beware therefore you Preachers that you be not wandering Planettes leest ye â—aue no light at all neyther in doctrine nor conuersation of â—â—fe For than ye shall be likened to starres that fall downe â—ut of Heauen as shall happen here after in this boke to the â—alse teachers But those starres are not in the head or in the fete The starres be in the right haÌ„de of Christ or on â—he backe or sides but in the right hande of Christ Whiche â—â—ing hath in dede a great consolation for the Pastours be in the right hande of God in Gods protection neither shâ— any man take them out of his hande God him selfe also â—â—ueth pastours and furnisheth them with necessarie goodâ— of the Church Therfore is the whole gouernement and glâ—ry his Wherefore the Apostle sayeth also he that waterâ— and planteth is nothing but God that geueth increase Nowe as concernyng the Candelstickes there was oâ— verely in the Tabernacle of Moses with seuen sockettes Candelstickes 〈◊〉 set in seuen Candelles In Salomons temple were ten caâ—delstickes The one represented a figure of Christ And the â—â—uen therupon and the ten betokened the vniuersalitieâ— Churches whiche are lighted all of the only lighte Chrisâ— and haue of this one what light so euer they haue And thâ— candelstickes are of Golde The mistery whereof Aretas eâ—pounding They are all golde sayeth he for the puritie aâ— preciousnes of faith liyng hidde in them And in dede the â—delstickes of them selues geue no light but be receptacles 〈◊〉 light So of vs arriseth no light but darkenes But in 〈◊〉 that light euerlasting set a light in the candlesticke the ligâ— shineth if Christe illumine the Churche with faithe and â—â—retie than faith sheweth foorth her selfe in open confessioâ— and the purenes of life in conuersation And this the Lord â—quireth of his churche in the v. chapter of Matth. So let yoâ— light shine c. And the apostle in the ii to the Philipp In tâ— middes of a frowarde and croked natioÌ„ shine like lightes the worlde And hitherto we haue handled the consolation of Chriâ— and the exposition of that great and celestiall vision wheâ— we haue learned the misteries of the faith of Christ and of his Churche to the ende we should knowe that Christ is the Lorde reignyng in his Church and applying al thinges to the saluation of his faythfull That he sendeth Preachers teacheth by them and kepeth and defendeth them To him be Glory c. ¶ Of the Epistles reuealed out of the throne of God from Christ by an Aungell and receiued and sent of Iohn Where also a parte of the Epistle to the Ephesians is expounded The seuenth Sermon VNto the Messenger of the congregation of Ephesus write These things saieth he that holdeth the seuen Starres in his righthand and walketh in the middes of the Seuen golden Candelstickes I knowe thy workes and thy labour and thy patieÌ„ce and â—ow thou cannest not forbeare them whiche â—re euil And examinest them which saie thei are Apostles and are not And haste founde â—hem liars hast suffered and hast patience â—nd for my names sake haste laboured and â—aste not fainted Neuerthelesse I haue some what againste thee because thou haste lefte â—hy firste loue Your charitie hath sene a certen Image of the lord christ Christe is prelate of the Church â—itting on the right hande of the father in glorye yet so that 〈◊〉 no wise he eyther forsaketh or neglecteth his Churche Now followeth it more fully and plainely howe our Sauiâ—ur Christe in Heauen executeth the office of the highe Bishop and teacheth the whole churche by his ministers rebuâ—eth comforteth and reteyneth it in her dutie Finally tourâ—eth alwayes awaye thinges hurtefull and auaunceth it to greater thinges For here follow seuen Epistles to the seueÌ„ Congregations that is to witte Seuen Epistles vnto all the churches in the â—hole worlde For this moste ample and holsome doctrine â—aye not be restreyned to a fewe sins Christ is Bisshoppe â—niuersall Thautoritie of these epâ—stels But great is the autoritie of these epistles For they are reuealed from the throne of God by the sonne of Goâ— speaking by an Aungell whiche prescribeth what is to bâ— written in those Epistles S. Iohn receiueth and writeth thâ— same through Christ his coÌ„maundement and sendeth theâ— to the seuen congregations And verely they aperteyne nâ— lesse vnto vs than if now the bearer entring into the churcâ— should deliuer these letters vnto vs. Moreouer in these seuen Churches is figured vnto vâ— the nature The epistles be vniuersall maners vices medicines rebukes prayses of 〈◊〉 Churches in all times and what soeuer is wonte to chaunâ— aboute them Then by examples of moste excellent meanâ— mixed of Hypocriticall also and wicked And these our Loâ— dothe euideÌ„tly instructe reproue rebuke and blame praisâ— correct moue exhorte comforte the same he threatneth anâ— promiseth them also ioyfull thinges c. This is no light 〈◊〉 coÌ„mon example but of the sonne of God the high and moâ— blessed Bishop teaching vs howe we should deale with 〈◊〉 congregations after the capacitie disposition of euery onâ— And not without cause he chouseth vnto him seuen thâ— most noble cities of Asia Certaine it is that Asia was of 〈◊〉 first inhabited and from thence they were dispersed into â—ther partes of the worlde Certaine it is also that the Deuâ— set vp his Throne in Asia and there reigned in men througâ— Idolatrie murther ambition auarice vncleanes and filthâ— pleasures For the prouerbe is knoweÌ„ the laughter Iouicaâ— It is knowen what the apostle wrote to the EphesiaÌ„s in thâ— iiii
we reade in the .1 of Iob howe Sathan had power geuen him of God agaynst Iob. Vnto blouddy soldiours is geuen a great sword great power to hurte a wonderfull force of fighting As also Nahum expoundeth it Nother is it a rare thinge in the scriptures for Monarkes tirannes and mightie men of warre to be called a sworde For so Ezechiel called Nabuchodonosor and Esaye called Sinacherib king of Assyrians a whetstone And the chiefest rightuousenes is God is of good thiÌ„â—s the deuiâ—l authour of euill to geue euery man his owne Therfore this place doeth iustely ascribe that which is good vnto God and that whiche is euill to the Deuill But thou sayest if God permitte the same that he doeth not prohibite he doeth He prohibiteth not warre for because iustice wil not suffer him so to doe but he coÌ„mauÌ„deth him by warre to punish the wicked and to trie the good but in permittyng warres God offendeth nothinge seyng that for moste iuste causes he permitteth the same For they would not imbrace peace offered them by the preachers of the Gospell therfore were they worthy to be intangled with warres The Iewes knew not the daye of Christes visitation therfore were they worthely visited of the Romanes and distroyed And this thing is in the world perpetuall that they that wil not obeye the Gospell muste obeye the Captayne of the warres they that wil not heare christ must heare Antichrist Thou mayest not contende with God whic he doeth this and permitteth that Worship God rather as thou hast ben taught in the .4 and .5 chapt Let vs peruse ouer stories and see and suche warres be not founde wherin men haue slaine themselues with mutuall woundes and haue killed one an other like beastes If you wil reade Herodiane Orosius and other good Historiographers you maye finde that the Romane Emperours haue ben troubled with moste greuouse warres for none other cause than that thei refused peace offered to them by the gospell For none other cause was Rome it selfe at the last taken by the Westgothians of the Eastgothians burnte and distroyed The lord had geueÌ„ them Christen Princes but they loued more Idols For Simmachus gouernour of the citie was so bolde to require a restitution of Idolatrie I speake nothing now of Athila nothing of the Persian and Affricane warres And what time there was a wonderful strife emoÌ„gs the Bisshoppes about the supremacie the Saracenes sprang vp and became mightie After the Thousande yere beganne the holy warre whiche as it was most bloudy so was it of longest continuance Neuer any suche warre was made in al the world Boniface the .8 instituted firste the yere of Iubiley a moste wicked manne who also did exhibite him selfe to be sene of the people both Pope Emperour But the same yere of a thousand and three hondreth wherin he did these thinges arrose vp in Asia the whippe or scourge of God Ottoman the original of themperours of Turkes which reigne at this daye For so when Salomon buylded places of Idolatrie his enemies sprang vp which wonderfully vexed and afflicted the kingdom of Salomon What warres are made now a dayes and what be the causes of warres al wise men do see We wil not receaue the peaceable gospel It is reason therfore that the Turkissh Armies should inuade vs that we maye both fele Antichrist to be a stoute warriour and maye al abhorre and deteste him But what other thing remayneth here than that beyng conuerted to God through Christ we maye serue the lord in syncere fayth and holy puretie for except we conuerte the are is layde at the tree roote c. ¶ Here is opened the .iii. and .iiii. Seale and is declared what the world shall suffer of honger and Pestilence The .xxxi. Sermon ANd when he opened the thirde Seale I hearde the thirde beaste saie come and see And I behelde and lo a black horse and he that sate on him had a paire of Balaunces in his hande And I hearde a voyce in the middes of the foure beastes say A measure of wheate for a penny and three measures of barley for a peny and oyle and wine see thou hurte not And when he opened the fourth Seale I hearde the voice of the fourth beast saye come and see And I loked and beholde a pale Horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was geuen vnto them ouer the fourth parte of the Earth to kyll with sworde and with honger and with death of the beastes of the Earth Christ exalted aboue all thinges A repetitioÌ„ and Lord of all in heauen and in earth openeth the seales of the boke diuine that is to witte disposeth and gouerneth with great rightuousnes the ordenaunces and iudgementes of God and firste in dede he geueth a prosperouse course to the preaching of the gospell sendyng alwayes faythefull ministers preachyng the Gospel of the kyngdome of God peace and concorde But for asmuche as euyll men do contemne the Euangelical peace they are certenly worthy to be molested with cruell warres Therfore the lambe openeth the second seale and there rushe out cruel warres slaughters seditions and robberies Attention But before the thirde Seale is opened the thirde beast resemblyng the countenaunce of man exhorteth vs to take most diligent hede that when we see these thinges come to passe whiche are here spoken of before we shoulde consider from whence they come and for what causes they are sente and that they maye be tourned away by dewe repentaunce Certen referre these thinges absolutely to chaunce and fortune some agayne to the naturall causes of God and the diuine operation no respect had at al Where we knowe that God vseth natural causes after his good wil and pleasure Let vs watch therfore loke and consider and know that the rightuouse God worketh al thinges for the saluation of the chosen and the ouerthrowe of his enemies That blacke horse with his rider shewyng a balaunce in his hande signifieth the vnfortunate or sorrowfull time of scarsetie famine and penurie of al thinges The thirde seale is opened For it is a worthie and a coÌ„digne punishment that they that do nothing esteme the bread of life nor haue no consideration of the foode of soules but both reiect it themselues and by their tirannical proclamations bringe to passe that it is not receiued of others finally whiche for the bread of life do spoyle the godly of their goodes and most wickedly waste the same in all kinde of riot should be driuen to bie thinges necessary at excessiue prices yea and can not finde things necessarie but should pine for honger We know that the black colour is vsed in mourning and heuinesse The black horse and that when the fleshe and bloud are consumed for wante of meate the skinne groweth blacke and euill fauoured and therefore this horse is blacke The rider of this horse holdeth in his hande a balaunce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
world intollerable thei haue oppressed the godly bragged of their victories and haue boasted of theyr owne felicitie with full chekes and as we shall heare in the .18 chapt of this boke that beaste hath sayed I sitte as Quene am no widowe and shal neuer see any sorrow For voices are hearde from Rome al Empires are oures It is knowen what maner of thinges Augustinus Steuchus an Italian and chiefe champion of the Popes holines hath set forth in this cause against Laurâ—â—ce Valla about the donation of CoÌ„stantine And dayly are hearde the brags reioycings of the papistes of the euerlasting coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce of the See of Rome of her victories oppression of the preachyng of the Gospell that the same hath her power stretched through out the world c. But in that day what time verely our lord Iesus Christ shal abolish al power rule authoritie shal haue made al his enemies his fote stoole accordyng to the scripture in the .110 Psalme And in the .1 to the Corinth the .15 Ther shal be hearde againe the voyces of the gladde and ioyeful singing trewe and eternal triumphing songes in heauen For Angelles and sainctes shal sing together wherfore the voices shal be greater more durable thaÌ„ the voices of Christes enemies which last but a smal season The songe of the Elders Nowe also he rehearseth the songe or triumphaunt dittie and reioycyng the kingdomes of this worlde are made our lordes his Christes and he shal raigne for euer more AmeÌ„ He sheweth two thinges that all kingedomes are made the fathers and the sonnes and that he shal raigne for euermore Al kingdomes were before also our lord Iesus Christes but the same appered not so plainely to al men what time the bisshop of Rome also vsurped the same to him selfe oppressed theÌ„ which did only celebrate the name of Christ But in that it shal truely appere and that to all fleshe that al kingdomes were euer and yet remayne of one the eternal God Christ therfore ouercometh the veritie ouercometh the gospel ouercometh the churche ouercometh they that are vanquished shal be led to hel Mahomet with his the Bishop of Rome with his There is added that Christ shal raigne for euer more Antichrist in dede hath raigned and the wicked haue reioyced in this worlde but a very shorte time but nowe shall the godly reigne with christ for euer more Nother doeth he now diuide the kingdome of the father the sonne but sheweth it to be comon where he sayeth that the kingdomes are made that is to saye it is openly declared that al kingedomes are of God the father and the sonne and that he shal reigne with his electe for euermore So you may see that the place of S. Paule maye not be expounded after the lettre which is writteÌ„ in the .1 to the Corinth the .15 chapt of that the sonâ—â— must be subiected shall deliuer the kingdome to his father For he shall deliuer the kingdome to witte the church that is to saye shal bring and present it to the father and in his membres shal be subiecte to the father with whom not withstanding he him selfe shal reigne for euer Thaffirmatiue vocable is annexed Amen Leeste any man should doubt one whitte of these celestial misteries Howbeit he doeth more playnely expounde afterwarde what those voices are that were spokeÌ„ in Heauen whilest he annexeth the narration of the .xxiiii. Elders and of such thinges wherwith they praysed God And here the most goodly beautifull order of this boke semeth to me worthie to be obserued In the beginning of this visioÌ„ he brought in the same elders teaching vs by their exaÌ„ple himnes what we should do the same therefore he bringeth againe also in the ende of this vision that we might be instructed againe by their wordes doynges not only concernyng the last iudgement of what sorte it shal be most rightouse doubtles as al his iudgementes are which the whole visioÌ„ approueth but that also we shuld vnderstaÌ„d what becometh vs what we shuld do verely that we should worship god submit our selues whole vnto him beleue stedfastly that both the iudgement shal assuredly come that also it shal be most iuste A geuynge of thankes The himne or prayer which they offer vp vnto God is a kynde of prayse For it is a thankesgeuyng or reioysing for victory For in such sort they geue God thanks that neuerthelesse they celebrate god highly and reioyce to themselues and to al godly for their saluatioÌ„ For they geue god thanks for their saluation And coÌ„mend his iustice and veritie which he sheweth in this his iudgement rewarding the good with good things and the euil with euil Therfore like as they rise out of their chayres and fal downe before almighty God euen so aught we also both nowe and euer to do Whereof is spoken more in the .4 chap. Here we should learne humilitie and that God alone is to be worshipped that to him alone al praiers or inuocatioÌ„s or geuing of thaÌ„ks must be offered the which thing is cleane repugnauÌ„t to the popish doctryne We se now the very thankesgeuing than the which no better can be found They geue thankes vnto God Let vs therfore thanke him also And also coÌ„mend exalte him whylest they call him the Lord and God almightie and also they celebrate his maiestie where they say which arte and which waste and which arte to come They allude to the wordes of God spoken in oulde tyme to Moses in the .3 of Exodus By the diuersitie of tymes the eternitie of God is fygured But of this kynd of speach I haue spoken more in the first chapt Christe in iudgement receyueth power and kingdome And nowe they declare wherefore they geue thankes for thou haste receiued thy great power and hast reigned God verely neuer laide asyde his power that he nedeth to receiue it agayne but what time he sheweth not the same and permittith very much to the vngodly that they by their power can infringe preuayl against gods word he semeth to haue layde it away Therfore now that he oppresseth the wicked and as a iudge auauÌ„ceth the godly maintayneth the veritie and destroyeth lying he is truly sayed to haue receyued his great power Lykewise now is he said to reigne not because he reigned not before but forasmoch as the lord hath reigned in the mids of his ennemies so that some time it was doubtfull and vncertayne whether Christe reigned or Antichriste yea that he hath had the vpper hand and Christ hath ben oppressed now that Christ hath broken al the power of his aduersaries he is said most truly to reigne And very wel Erasmus admonissheth in his annotations vpoÌ„ the newe Testament that the translatour had tourned more aptely Ebacilensas yf he had sayed thou hast obteyned a kingdome For the latin men saye Regnauit He hath reigned whiche hath lefte reignyng
are alwayes wonte so ofte as they haue occasiō to celebrate and intimate Christ and the misterie of his redemption S. Iohn therefore sayeth howe the lambe hath ben killed and offered vp from the beginnyng of the world And it is with out controuersie The lambe slayne frō the beginning of the world that by the lambe is vnderstande Christ It is therefore demaunded howe he was slaine from the beginning of the world Many here tourmente themselues at the length they expounde that Christ was slaine in Abel and in all sainctes by perticipation not by passion Certenly we maye not expounde this place after the lettre For Christ coulde not be slayne before he was borne Moreouer the Apostle affirmeth that Christ sins the beginning of the world hath not ben slaine oftener than ones Reade what he sayeth in the .9 chapt to the Hebrew And yet can not the most and trewe worde of God be contrary or repugnaunt to it selfe Therefore saye we after the comon rule of expoundyng the Scriptures that the signes haue the names of the thinges signified For the Lambe was called a passouer or passyng by wherof it was a signe Circumcision was called the leage or conuenaunt it selfe sacrifices are named sinnes So verely from the beginnyng of the worlde sacrifices were slayne whiche were simbolles or signes of Christe to be incarnated and offered vp ones for the clensyng of sinnes We vnderstande therfore by this testimony of Christe that all the sacrifices of the auncient fathers were sacramētes of Christ and that the redemption of Christe hath from the begynnyng of the worlde ben of efficacitie to all the faythful Therfore this place is notable and worthie to be obserued Hitherto apperteyneth the Apostles testimony in the .1 to the Corinth the .10 That al our forefathers haue eaten of the same spirituall meate wyth vs and dronken of the same drynke and that they dranke of the rocke followyng them whiche was Christ Of the destructiō of the Romane Empire And hitherto hath he spokē of the maiestie of the Romane Empire blasphemies sinnes Nowe followeth of the distruction of so great an Empire punnishmēts of sinnes Wherof notwithstanding shal be spoken againe in the .17 chapt And with an Acclamatiō most comonly vsed in the gospell as it were peculiar to Christ he stireth vp al his auditours and crieth out he that hath an eare to heare lette him heare Verely it was to men a wonder and semed vncredible that so great a Maiestie coulde falle but yet it falleth The faythfull marueled also what shoulde be the ende of blasphemies slaughters iniuries abominations Moreouer the doctrine that followeth is notable excellent and worthie to be kepte in memory Therefore he stireth vp all men to attentiuenes and than he sayeth whosoeuer shall leade into captiuitie shall go into captiuitie whosoeuer striketh with the sworde c. For in such sort he declareth the destructiō of Rome and the Romane empire that he confirmeth with al the iustice of gods iudgemēt And also with a maruelouse breuitie of goddes sentence geuen or pronoūced against Rome he suppeth of that vnmeasurable power And this is both by the law of God by the law of nature and by the law of al natiōs receiued as a thing most iust that euery man shulde loke to haue the same done to him that he doth to an other For to this be longeth the sentence rehersed of Noe in the .9 of Gen. He that shedeth bloud his bloud shal be shed The same is repeted in the .33 of Esay Wo to the that spoilest shalt not thou be spoiled A testimonie wherof is Niniue with the Prophet Nahum and Babilon with al the prophets Therfore hath the Lorde taught in the gospell whatsoeuer ye wold that men shuld do to you do you the same vnto them also With what mesure you meat vnto others with the same shall others meat vnto you agayne Whosoeuer stryketh with the sworde with the sword shall perish Therefore it is moste reasonable that sins Rome hath spoiled the whole world and iniuried al nations and made cruel war vpon al men it shuld be againe of al nations inuaded spoyled torne and troden vnder foote Let vs marke this iudgemēt of God let vs fear god and do good vnto men For here is sentence geuen against al men that do iniurie to their neighbours but especialli those which inuade innocēts with vniust wars which thei be hired to make c. And here muste we repeate some thyng out of Hystories The destructiō of Rome and the Romane Empyre whereby the veritie of this prophesie may be better knowen and vnderstand When the most excellēt Prince Constantine had receiued the gouernment of thempire as it were abhorring Rome he builded Constantinople and made it the seate or mansion of thempire And from that time the Maiestie of Rome began to fal vnto ruine Vnder themperour Gratiane a Prince moste wittie the Barbarians were a great terrour to the Romanes wherupō Gratiane made a leage with them Stilico father in lawe to Honorius a Vandall borne deminished the wages of the Gothians and other leage fellowes of the people of Rome for the which cause they toke Armour yet beinge pacified agayne they were stirred vp afterwarde through the mallice of Stilico of Duke Saule vnder the cōduite of Athalaricus their King they hast them to Rome lay seige to it besiege it by the space of two yeares at the lēgth toke and spoiled it Which seige and spoyle S. Hierome in his Epistle bewayleth much Orosius writeth much christianly hereof in the .29 chapter of the .7 boke of Histories It is reported that Rome was taken the fyrste day of Apryll in the yeare .412 Yet the Gothians immediately leauyng the Citie remoue into other places there by neuerthelesse beynge agayne inflamed with fury they returne and vnder their captayne Athaulphus they plagued spoyled Rome worse then they ded before The Kynge had determined extinguyshing the name of Romaynes to haue called the Citie Gothia if he had not ben disswaded of Galla Placidia daughter to Honorius A fewe yeares after Rome was taken agayne of Genserychus King of Vandalles and that which was inryched and replinished with the robberies of al natiōs was by fourtene dayes together emptied cleane After came Odacer with the Germanes and putting downe the name of Emperour reigned ouer the citie himselfe as king by the space of .15 yeares Whom Theodorichus of Verona expulsed and slew And there reigned with his East Gothes about .50 yeares Than was it recouered of Bellisarius for Iustinian Emperour of Grece but to the vtter destruction of Rome For Totilas Kynge of Gothia discomfyted both the Greke and Romayne Armie at Placence after he beseiged Rome scaled toke sacked ouerthrew and set it on fyre The citie burned thirtene dayes Nother was there any man in it by the space of fourtie dayes Reade the .4 boke of Sabellicus the .8 Aeneade Perauenture I
here certen Byshoppes ded resiste him emonges whome was Leo Bishoppe of ould Rome There remayne certen Epistles of his to the Emperour of Constantinople to the Byshops of the Easte and to others So was this trouble for that tyme also appeased But streight way an other Byshop of Constantinople blynded wyth Ambition requyred a fresh to haue the supremacie geuen hym Whome Pelagius and Gregory Byshoppes of Rome wythstood And this later so impugned the supremacie of the Patriarch of Constantinople that he sticked not to call him the vauntcurrour of Antichrist which woulde vsurpe the tytle of generall byshop There remayne not a fewe epistles wrytten of this matter in his register Neuerthelesse a fewe yeares after when the Byshoppes of Rome were sore affrayde leeste that dignitie shulde be geuen to the byshoppes of Constantinople Boniface the .3 obteyned of themperour Phocas a parricide that he which was bishop of old Rome might be taken for the vniuersal bishop and Rome for the head of al churches which constitution set vp the Pope in Authoritie Apostolicall that he was nowe taken of the moste parte of the west Bishops for Apostolicall and manie matters brought before him to determine whereby he got the fauour of many Princes chieflie of Fraunce by whose ayde he droue oute of Italie both the Emperour of Grece and kinges of Lumbardie and brought Rome and the beste most florishing partes of Italie vnder his own subiection Thus I saye out of the earth cometh vp the seconde beaste Beaste Furthermore Christe callth the Romish papistrie beaste for that in Auarice Couetousnesse Tyrannie Crueltie and euen in beastlinesse he differeth nothing from the olde beast of whome I haue spoken before Hitherto of the originall of Antichrist or Pope and of the newe Empyre furthermore S. Ihon procedeth to descrybe that second beast lyuelie that we shuld al know and eschewe the same and fyrst he reasoneth of the power of Antichriste The beast had two hornes That other beaste sayeth he had two hornes and he addeth lyke a lambe For of them is spoken in the fifte chapter of this boke And the Lord signifieth the priesthod and kingdome whyche the Popes vsurpe to themselues affyrmynge that power is geuen them in Heauen and in Earth in spirituall matters and temporal For therefore they geue in their Armes two Keyes that is to saie two hornes They boaste that they haue two swoordes Of the which blasphemies he that wyll be fullye instructed let him reade the wordes of the beastes of Boniface .8 in the sixte Decret of maiorit and obediēce One holy agayne Clement .5 second boke of othes finally Gregorie .9 or rather the first boke of Innocent the .3.33 tit de maior obedient All Histories make mention that Boniface the .8 ded in the yeare of our Lorde .1300 institute the first Iubeley and in the same opēly before the people to haue shewed in the way of ostentation the Pontifical and Emperiall maiestie whylest on the one day he appeared in the apparel of a Byshop on the other hauing put on purple robes shewed himselfe to the people like an Emperour They caried before him two swordes And he himself cried lo here are two swordes as though he shoulde poincte with his fingar to the whole worlde that he and certen of his predecessours and all his successours were that two horned beaste What shall we saie that all bishops by him consecrated weare vpon their heades miters or two horned caps Vnlesse therfore we be blynder than was Tyresias we see with our eyes who is that great Antichriste And here we muste obserue that he sayeth not Lyke a lambe◠that those ar the hornes of a lambe For Christ kepeth stil both the priesthod and kingdome with the faithful in the church nother doeth he resigne the same to any other he hath appointed no Vycar For he executeth continuallie at the righte hande of the Father the offices both of King and Bishoppe and this all faithfull fele with ioye He sayeth therefore lyke a lambes For the Pope wyll make all men beleue that he hath receiued of Christ Priesthod and Empire that he is Christes Vycar wher he is nothyng lesse He bragth euery where that he is the great shepparde and hath receyued the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen And that of the very lambe of God in the Apostle Saincte Peter and therefore that all Bishoppes are subiecte to him finallie al Kynges Princes and people He procedeth to shewe moreouer He spake as the Dragon what the talke of Antichriste is what is his doctryne and what is his speach He spake sayeth he as ded the Dragon The Dragon is the Deuyll as before is playnelie shewed Therefore he ascribeth to Antichryste or Popery Diabolicall doctrine or a deuyllysh mouth or toungue We muste see therefore howe the deuyll speaketh that we may so vnderstande rightlie howe Antichriste speaketh In Paradise he so tempereth his talke that he calleth in doubte the certentie and veritie of Gods word and by that occasion placeth his owne worde in steade of the worde of God Is it so sayth the Deuyll hath God forbydden you Genesis .3 vnder perill of your life that ye shoulde not eate of the fruicte of the tree of knowledge of good euil yea rather yf ye eate therof ye shall be made lyke vnto God And after the same sorte Antichriste in his Poperie bringeth the veritie of the Scripture in doubte which by all meanes possible he disfameth as vnperfecte maymed obscure and doubtefull And by and by vpon that occasion he bringeth in his traditions decrees wherewith he maye patch vp that which he contendeth to want in the Scriptures But in his traditions he affirmeth thinges contrary to Gods worde and so disceaueth men And all men knowe that haue any skill of popysh matters that the fyrste and chiefe principle and foundation of Papistrie is that the Scriptures are vnperfecte and obscure and therefore to haue nede of traditions Moreouer the Dragon speaketh openlie against the lawes of God and so doeth the Pope manifestelye God wyll be worshypped alone the Pope addeth to him Sainctes God forbyddeth Idolles and Idolatrie the pope cōmaundeth them playnely God wyll haue his name to be sanctified and his name to be sworne by onely the Pope by dispensing with othes polluteth the name of the Lorde and commaūdeth vs to sweare by the names of Gods God commaūdeth vs to kepe holie the Sabboth daye The Pope bringeth this in contempte setteth forth his owne holy daies and maketh double feastes God commaūdeth vs to honor our parents This doeth the Pope abbrogate and commaundeth to make more of Abbotes and Abbesses God commaundeth thou shalt not kyll thou shalt not commit aduoutrie or steale The Pope graunteth moste ample indulgences and pardons to his soldiours for rash warres made at his wyll and pleasure spoyleth with his sacrileges al churches and he with his mayden priestes fylleth all the world with
And in dede it were foloyshnes Babilon to expounde these thinges of the ould Babilon in Asia which was fallen long sins scarcely any token thereof beinge leste Rome we muste therefore vnderstande it of an other which is in her flowres and euen by a figuratiue speach we must vnderstande it of Rome Antonomasia For there is a greate Cozinnage as it were betwixte both Babilon was the first Monarchie Rome is the laste Babilon sore afflicted the people of God So doeth Rome greuouselye vexe the church of God Babylon burthened Israell wyth a greueouse captiuitie So Rome vexeth the church wyth more than a long captiuitie Babilon ouercame the people of God and burning the Citie of Hierusalem and destroieng the temple led away Israell captiue so Rome also hauing rased the citie of Hierusalē and subuerting the temple triumphed of Israell Babilon planted Idolatrie superstition and all abhomination auaunced maintained and set forth the same vnto al men but at the length when she woulde haue thought leest of it the people of God being sodeynely delyuered she was vtterly subuerted So is Rome also the mother nurse and reuyuer of all abominations in the church of the laste tyme wherein she shall perish at the last all those that beleue truly in Christe being delyuered And especiallie it is called great For howe greate and mightie the church of Rome is all we see and by experience knowe at this daye Nother am I the firste that vnderstand by Babilon Rome For many expositours reading the first Epistle of Saincte Peter in the end of the epistle do vnderstand by Babilon Rome Certes Oecumenius sayeth And here he calleth Babilon Rome for the excellencie and brightnesse of the Empire the which Rome obteined a long tyme sins But this the more auncient wryters expound more playnelie as Turtullian in his boke againste the Iewes which sayeth so Babilon with sainct Ihon beareth the fygure of the Citie of Rome therfore also great and proude in her kingdom and a murtherer of the saincts The same words in a maner he repeteth in the thirde booke against Marcion And no lesse playnely Saincte Hierome calleth Rome Babilon and that same Babilon wherof S. Ihon speaketh in the Apocalipse Read the epistle of Paula and Eustochium written to Marcella by the helpe of sainct Hierome Reade himself in the .11 questiō to Algasia Againe in the preface to the boke of Didymus of the holy ghoste to Pauliniane Also in the end of the .2 boke against Iouinian The same in the life of S. Marke Peter saith he in the first epistle vnder the name of Babilon doth figuratiuely signify Rome But S. Ihon wil expounde himselfe in the .17 chapter And we vnderstande that the Citie of Rome shall fall chiefly with all her vngodlynes And with the same also the Romish superstition and abomination through oute the worlde And the Aungell in dede sayeth she is fallen which is yet to fall And that by the propheticall maner of speaking Anadiplosis wherein that which shal assuredly come to passe is vttered as though it wer now done To signifie the certentie thereof that reduplication or iterating of the worde also apperteineth she is fallen she is fallen she is fallē she is fallē This is also repeated in the .18 chap. where it shal be shewed howe it is taken out of the Prophetes c. Notwithstanding both a desyre and Ioye also might seme here to be signified For such thinges as we haue longe and with a desyre loked for we receiue them nowe cumming and saie thou art come thou arte come at the laste longe loked for and nowe makest me glad For the sainctes with a great desyre loke and long for the distruction of that most wicked most vyle and most troublesome kyngdome of Antichriste The cause is shewed also of the destructiō of the commonwelth and church of Rome Why the Romyshe Church shoulde fal for that she hath caused all nations to drinke and hath made them dronken wyth wyne of wrath of her fornication And verelye the effecte of wyne in men is greateste Therefore doctrine is compared to it in the Prophetes Therefore Rome with her vncleane and corrupt opinions hath made all people dronken And it is called the wyne of the wrath For loke with whome God is angry he suffereth them to erre in the way of the Romish church For in asmoch as God hath reuealed the sincere doctrine of lyfe by his onely sonne and moste chosen Apostles and men receaue not the same God is iustely offended with them and geueth them ouer into a reprobate mynde that thei may followe shamefull errours As Saincte Paule also prophisied shuld come to passe in the .2 to the Thess 2. chapt This wyne is called moreouer the wyne of her fornication whereby she her selfe hauing firste played the harlot is become nowe also the Maistres of fornicatiō and as it wer bawde to al others This maner of speakyng is right well knowen euen oute of the Prophetes Rome ded not persiste in the doctryne of the Gospell and of the Apostles but inuented a newe and that contarry to the Gospel of the vycar of Christ in earth The deuilysh doctrin of Rome of the power of keyes of indulgences and pardons of iustification of works and merits of satisfactiōs cōfessions of worshipping of Images prayeng to saincts of celebrating masses and worshipping of the sacramēt of the aulter as thei terme it of monkery and vowes and such other innumerable This doctrine as Apostolicall auncient and chresten she drinketh of to all people and so plucketh them from Christ withdraweth them from the Gospell seduceth them from the oulde christianitie and destroyeth innumerable soules Therefore God powreth oute to her also of the cuppe of his wrath and bryngeth her also to destruction for euer He disswadeth all frō the fellowship of the Romysshe church And vpon this occasion he disswadeth all men from the felowship of the Romish church or papistrie that we haue nothing to do with the Romish religion vnlesse we will be part takers also of the euerlasting pūnishmēt He reasoneth therfore of the losse and punnishments and descrybeth greuouse and horrible paines yf happlie men might so be feared from that vngodlines The Angell therfore crieth and that with a loude voice Wherefore let al ecclesiasticall preachers learne that they must earnestly and tirribblie crye oute in this case that all flee the communion of the Romish or popish church I know doubtles what the common people beleue and saie that all shall be saued at the laste daye what religion so euer they be of and namelie yf any remaine an open papist But we can nother condemne nor absolue any man sette them in Heauen or cast them to Hell God liueth a rightouse iudge He alone knoweth who shal be saued or damned We ought therfore of right to credit his iudgements But where as he pronoūceth openly that the fauourers of the
.16 chapt he signified somewhat hereof nowe he pourseweth euery thinge with a notable plentie and euidence And the same that I sayed in the beginning of this place I repete here agayne that hereby are affirmed howe the iustice of God is shewed to be the ende of good and euill The profit of this place cōcerning the destruction of Rome that the godly are confirmed and the iudgement to come establisshed as we confesse expressely in the apostles crede The some of al is this tholde and newe Rome the Empire and Popish kingdome which is the kyngdome of Antichrist shall perish for sinnes great enormities For he ioyneth together the beaste and the Image of the beaste the beast and one sittyng on the beaste a prowde strompet so that they can not be separated Therefore muste the place be expounded of both Empires That S. Iohn speaketh of Rome And leste any man should thinke me to be led with an euil affection for vnderstandyng these thinges of Rome I will shewe by the testimony both of god man that the same exposition is olde and not newe true and not affectated For streight waye the Angel him selfe as we shal heare expoundeth these thinges of Rome Aretas also an olde expositour of this boke diuerse expositours sayeth he vnderstande by the whore olde Rome And the same by and by whilest he saieth the mother of whoredome whether so euer you will other olde Rome or newe or the time of the cōmyng of Antichriste beholde the time of Antichriste he sayeth you can not erre from the trewth for that bothe cities Rome and Constantinople hath occupied thempire and euery of them hath ben satiated with the bloud of holy martirs c. Hitherto he And what the moste auncient wryter Tertullian and S. Hierome hath spoken oftener than ones of Babylon and the purple whore I haue heretofore reported in the .14 chapt The order of this chapt And in this order he procedeth Firste he sheweth the authour of this reuelatiō after he gathereth the some of the reuelation or vision For agayne he treateth by visions to the ende al thinges might be more liuely euident And in dede some make this seuenth chapt vnto the .21 chapt the sixte vision As I admonished in the beginning of this worke Than noteth he the place and maner of the vision Finally he propoundeth the vision it selfe and immediately adioyneth the exposition thereof And in the processe of this matter he vseth a iudicial kinde of pleadyng and that after a prophetical maner For the Prophetes moste often and in the beginnyng set forth the sinnes and wickednesses of the people before the eyes of al men thā they annexe vnto it the iudgemēt paine or punnishement For so doeth S. Iohn also at this present First thauthour of this horrible vision who sheweth this vision is the lord Christ himselfe but he vseth the ministerie of an Angell and that of one which comyng out of the temple of the diuine maiestie was appoincted with sixe others to powre out plagues and vialles This is the head minister And it was semely that the iudgement of Babilon should be vttered by an Aungell that had the rule ouer tormētes The lord Iesus himselfe wil take punnishment of the beaste for whom this triumphe is reserued And we vnderstande that suche thinges as are set forth and treated here haue proceded from the highe Bisshop him selfe Iesus Christ and the maners of speakyng to be Angelicall heauenly and godly Who shall than blame vs yf we vsing the wordes of Angelles and of Christ himself shal saye that the Bisshop of Rome and all Popery to be that purple and great and most comon harlot It appereth also to many that seme godly that moderation is neglected whan these thinges are repeted of the preachers Free mouthes agaīst Rome whiche are playnely set forth to vs by the expresse wordes of Angelles and of Christ It semeth that they woulde shutte and stoppe the mouth of Christ him selfe Howbeit they attempte that in vayne For if the preachers holde their peace the stones wil crie For it behoueth that like as the glory of Christ so the shame of Antichrist should be knowen to the whole worlde But they offende moste greuousely which in the sermons made against Antichrist require I know not what modestie As though he ought to be spared which spareth no good man As though that doctrine were not modeste which is taken and receiued of the mouth and wordes of Christ After in the .18 chapter We shal heare the lorde commaunde render vnto her as she hath rendred vnto you c. The some of the visiō Secondly he compriseth in fewe wordes the some of all and sheweth whereunto we should referre al thinges Come sayeth the Angell to S. Iohn and I wil shew thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the iudgement condemnation and punnishement of the greate whore And where he sayeth of the great whore he doeth intimate what the crime is or cause of punnishement fornication infidelitie or vngodlines This vision also apperteineth hereunto that we might vnderstande how Rome should be punnished or destroyed that is to saye the Romane Empire or the kingedome of the Pope or of Antichrist and wherfore or howe it deserueth to be destroyed Rome is a whore She is a whore and a great and an erraunt whore And who knoweth not that a mariage is contracted betwene God and all and singular faythfull that God is the brydegrome and the churche his spouse she is bounden than coupled to her husbande alone in faith and trouth Yf she breake this faith and loue others geue her to them cal vpō and honour them she is a whore Whereof I haue spoken many times both in this boke and els where And a moste common thing is it in the Scriptures to call reuolting vnfaithfulnes impietie superstition and Idolatrie fornication or whoredome Yf any man desire testimonies hereof he shal finde in the .8 of Iudges 1. of Esaye 2. and 3. of Ieremie the .16 of Ezechias in the .1.2 and .3 of Osee and other places Rome therefore was a greate strompet and is also at this daye a moste stynkyng harlot For whic she is full of Idolatrie worshippyng of creatures and abominable superstitions Nother is she herselfe only polluted with all filthines but compelleth morouer the whole world to serue and that to serue in Idolatrie and superstitions What will you saye that through the wonderfull prouidence of God it came to passe that a woman fayning herselfe a manne dyd clyme vp to the See of Rome was created Bisshoppe and called Iohn the .8 whyche was one Gylberta a greate whore borne at Mentz For thus woulde God declare that the Bysshoppe of Rome sitteth a whore vpon the beaste And herein I follow the constant consent of al Historiographers Neuerthelesse I am not ignoraunt that there be some which haue thought howe this Iohn was intruded into the seate vp an
harlot and for that cause was called an harlot Furthermore olde Rome had power to do these thinges She sâ—teth vpoÌ„ many watâ—rs for she sate vpon many waters that is had dominion rule ouer many people and sondry nations Ye alâ—o the kinges of the Earth haue coÌ„mitted whoredome with her whâ— lest they haue submitted themselues to the Romanes bonden themselues in leage The princes â—â—miâ—te whoredom and receyued of them superstitions and Idolatrie For the children of Israell were also sayed to haue committed whoredome wyth the Aegiptians for that they had ioyned amitie with them and were become fellowes in prophane religions And so newe Rome the Popes kingdome stretcheth farre and wide and the Kinges and Princes of the Earth committe whoredome with her Therefore doeth the worde of the Lorde calle it filthye whoredome whiche the Romisshe name an holy bonde and obedience There is added and they that dwell vpon Earth are made dronkeÌ„ For he signifieth that beyng infected with errours yea rather asotted cleane out of their wittes they haue ben madde in Idolatrie and yet rage in their superstitions like droÌ„kardes and can not for furie receaue the preaching of the gospel Touchyng this wine of fornication and whoredome and of that dronkennes I haue spoken in the .14 chap. And it is aptly spoken that dwellers vpoÌ„ Earth are made dronkeÌ„ not so much for that menne dwellyng vpon Earth are made dronken as for that earthly meÌ„ and choked with earthly desires shall become faithfull worshippers of the Romish See Thirdely he expoundeth the maner of the vision The maner of the vision thus I was caried awaye in sprete Wherfore with his body remayning in Patmos in spirite he sawe a womaÌ„ sittyng on a beast and distroyed with fire Such be many visioÌ„s and sightes in the prophetes And he noteth also the place wherein he sawe the beaste not in heauen nother in the temple or tabernacle or in a fruictful place The beast in the wildernesse but in the wildernesse Esaye calleth the gentiles and heythenes wildernesse And verely tholde Romanes and newe with their superstitions haue had no place in the church but are without the church God forbidde thaÌ„ that we should acknowledge the churche of Rome to be head of al faithful churches And at this daye many of them which are called most holy and most reuerent differ nothing from the gentiles their titles and hipocrisie only excepted Wherof is spoken before in the .11 chapt Fourthly and laste he exhibiteth this vision or tipe of olde and newe Rome and the ruine and destructioÌ„ of them both and with all describeth most dilligently the wickednes of eyther of them And first must the beaste be considered after the woman sittyng on the beaste The beaste representeth the figure of olde Rome the woman of the newe and of Poperie And the woman sitteth vpon the beast For the image of the beast hath succeded and hath placed her seate in olde Rome For Daniel also affirmeth that Antichrist shal pitche his seate or palace betwixte two Seas The beast is rose coloured to witte the Hadriatical Sea called commonly the goulfe of Venise and the Tyrrhene or Tuscane Sea And the beaste is rose coloured it is of a red and bright colour like Crimosine For Rome hath ben moste cruell and blouddy and swimmyng altogether in the bloud of al meÌ„ but especially of Christians How much bloud shed Marius Sylla Pompey Iulius and others after histories Plinie hath reported Rome hath with sworde fire distroyed the whole world The ten persecutions of Christians before the Empire of Constantine are most commonly knowen Howe the beaste was full of the names of blasphemie I shewed in the .13 chapt Rome abounded with chapelles and Idolles Dayly it blasphemed God Christe the gospell and rente the church a sonder Of the .7 heades and ten hornes is spoken also in the .13 chapt And certen thinges shall followe in this same chapter playne enough And thus muche hitherto of the olde beaste here followeth of the woman sittyng vpon the beast ¶ The same matter is yet still treated of and the vision is expounded The .lxxiiij. Sermon ANd the womaÌ„ was arayed in purple and rose colour decked with gold preciouse stone and pearles and had a cup of golde in her haÌ„d ful of abominations and filthinesse of hyr whoredome And in hyr forehead was a name written a misterie great Babilon the mother of whoredome and abominations of the Earth And I sawe the woman dronken with the bloud of Sainctes with the bloud of the witnesses of Iesu And when I sawe her I maruailed with a greate wonder And the Angel sayde vnto me wherefore maruailest thou I wil shewe thee the misterie of the woman and of the beaste that beareth her whiche hath seuen heades and ten hornes The beast that thou seest was and is not and shall ascende out of the botomlesse pitte and shal go into perditioÌ„ and they that dwel on the earth shal wonder whose names are not written in the booke of life from the beginnyng of the worlde when they beholde the beast that was and is not And here is a minde that hath wisedome He describeth excedingly well and liuely and setteth forth to be sene of the eyes of all men that same woman before named the great whore About th ende of the chapter he expouÌ„deth himselfe sayeth and the woman which thou sawest is the great citie The womaÌ„ is the greate citie lady of kinges great verely as she that beareth rule ouer the kinges of the Earth He meaneth therefore the very citie of Rome and euen the popish and Romish church and the pope himself with al his creatures and chapplaynes whiche make a great and strong citie rulyng ouer al kinges and princes of the Earth For who knoweth not that Rome the prelates of the church doe rule euen aboue magistrates and princes consider what is done in the courtes of kinges princes and by whose aduise and counselles the princes of the Earth are chiefly gouerned And in callyng papistrie a woman he alludeth to the .5 and .7 chapt of the Prouerbes of Salomon who also likeneth craftie disceiptful philosophie worldly wisedome to a faire woman full of sondry craftes and giles The apparell of the woman And now also he painteth out gallauntly and euideÌ„tly the apparell or clothing and very whorish behauiour of this woman She is furnisshed with no good qualities inwardely wherby she maye coÌ„mende her selfe to the world to her louers therfore she excelleth in outwarde deckyng of herselfe where she is inwardely full of all abominations for all the world like vnto the Phariseis and hipocrites whom the lord saieth are without liâ—e shinyng tumbes of marble but within replenisshed with all corruption and filthines and euen stinkyng And hereby is signified chiefly that the church of Rome and kingdome of Antichrist setteth forth it self altogether with worldly furniture to witte
any Popish rites or ceremonies but from their vices and corruptions to flee so farre as is possible For so the Apostolical scripture teacheth vs in the .12 to the Roman 2. Corinth 6. in the .5 to the Ephes and .1 Pet. 4. And S. Iohn at this present as it were expoundyng him self be not ye sayeth he pertakers of her sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicate not with her sinnes And sinnes be not only those which are done agaynst the seconde but also that are committed and that much more agaynst the first table of the which sorte are idolatrie impietie the abuse of Gods holy name straunge worshipping agaynst the .2 and .4 precepte of the first table Those were than and so are at this daye taken for very good workes where they be abominations Partakyng is chiefly in the cōmunion of sacred thinges agayne if they be geuen to the same dissolute riot with filthie men Yf therfore we beware of those thinges we flee out of Babylon and followe the good counsel of God But herein we offende at this daye cōmonly How men offende at this daye agaīst this counsell of God whiche are called gospellers For many thinke it to be sufficient in case thei obserue I wote not what religion in their harte priuely and openly doe cōmunicate with them whiche maye eyther helpe or hurte Ye shal haue them that wil crowch and kncle before idolles whiche will heare Masse and popishe seruice There be some that know many abominatiōs of the popish priesthood but yet neuerthelesse make their sonnes priestes Because that promotions and that clerkly life that is to saie the welthie and pleasaunt life liketh them wel There be some that intrude their childrē through the bonde of wedlocke into the middes of Papistrie nother doe these regarde any thing els but richesse and worldly honours and frendeshippes Against al these the prophetes with the Apostles and at this present Christ the sonne of God from the righthande of the father thondereth and crieth out a lowde come awaye from her my people and be not partaker with her sinnes These wordes do not admitte any wittie or ciuile reasoning nor carnall or craftie qualifiyng For it followeth leeste ye receaue of her plagues For if ye like Rome if ye like the Romish religion if Romish prelacie please you richesse and promotiōs yf the Romish corruptiō contente you let the iudgement payne and damnation dewe to Antichristianisme contente you also We haue moreouer at this present what aūswere we may make to the Romanistes What thou mayest aūswere to the crime of reuolting obiecting laiyng to our charge reuoltyng or apostasie for the same cause also the crime of Schisme Ye haue fallen saye they from the holy church of Rome by that same forsakyng declare openly that ye are sectaries and Schismatikes Whereunto we aunswere that we put a distinctiō in the church of Rome For we acknowledge a certē olde church of Rome notable and Apostolicall Of the whiche wrote S. Paule your fayth is shewed in the whole world Frō the same who so euer departeth without doubte shal be both a Schismatike and also perishe for euer There is agayne an other church of Rome newe and cleane contrary to the olde no longer nowe Apostolical but Papisticall rather wherein be not the ministers of the worde and Sacramentes but either princes nothing vnlike the gētiles or marchauntes of whom the Sacramentes the remissiō of sinnes heauen it selfe and all thinges in the church are to be solde for a little mony They teach a doctrine swaruing quite from the doctrine of the gospell These are openly not infected but swimmyng and stinkyng of moste shameful vices euen of the filthines of whoredome to speake nothing nowe of Christen bloudshedyng Nother is there sene in them any repentaunce With these to perseuer with these to cōmunicate is to perish euerlastingly Therfore from these mens cōpany the lord cōmaundeth vs here to departe yea and to flee frō Therfore that we haue done we haue done at the lordes cōmaundement which openly here cōmaundeth vs to come awaye departe and flee from the purple whore and frō this Babilon There be also other notable places commaundyng this departing which who so liste to know and consider let thē reade Deuter. 13. Ieremie the .23 the wordes also of the lord in the gospel of Luke the .6 chapt the .7.23 and .24 of Matth. Reade both the Epistles of S. Paul to Timoth. especially the .6 chapt of the .1 and the .3 and .4 chapt of the .2 In the .16 to the Romanes he sayeth I beseke you bretherne marke them which cause diuision and geue occasions of euill contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyde them For they that are suche serue not the Lord Iesu Christe but their owne bealy and through flatteryng wordes c. And rendring the cause whie we should flee from Babilō Whie Babilon is to be auoided he vttereth the profit and disprofit Leeste ye receaue of her plages For who so euer matcheth him selfe with the vngodly idolaters filthie vncleane persones receyueth the same rewarde with them and the rewarde of this life presente a curse a reprobate minde sondry calamities recited in the 16. chapt and elswhere and after this life euerlastyng tourmentes Therefore he treateth of no lighte matter when he threateth of flyeng from Babilon or of auoyding the Romish religion Many beleue these thinges for that they consider not how great is the abomination of the church of Rome before God and therfore heare these thinges as it were a fable and perseuer in the same kinde of life wherin they ar and haue liued hitherto But he lieth not that sayeth howe they that prouide not for themselues to flee out of Babilon shall shortely perish with Babilon and with the whole fellowship of the wicked Wo be to them Howbeit for asmuch as the wicked in this world ar cōmonly fortunate whereof many gather That God remēbreth wickednes that God knoweth not our matters or at leest if he know thē not to care greatly for thē there is added of thapostle or oracle brought from heauē for her sinnes are cōmen vp to heauen the lord hath remēbred her wickednes God verely neuer forgetteth iniquities For al things are euermore present before him Yet semeth he not to remembre when he punnisheth not For so men suppose but when he pūnisheth and visiteth sinners he semeth vtterly to haue had consideration of our matters and to haue remembred wickednes and wicked menne Therefore God is rightuouse and mindeful of euil and of good also and when he seeth time will recompence all mens workes and chiefly the euill In the meane time he signifieth also that the sinnes of olde and newe Rome are great and full of enormitie For in the .19 of Genes the sinnes of Sodome are sayed to haue ascended vp to Heauen and as it were to haue exclamed agaynst the doers of them and
required vengeaunce So we reade in the .51 of Ieremie that the sinnes of Babilon ascēded vp to the clowdes For S. Iohn in a maner euery where vseth the places of Scripture to the intent he mighte get his boke more authoritie although otherwise inspired of the holy ghost And in dede the olde Satyrical poetes as Horace Iuuenall and others wrote sore agaynst the sinnes and vices of old Rome There remayne also at this daye many sharpe writinges agaynst Rome and the Cardinalles and Prelates of the Romish churche and Pasquillis innumerable Pasquille at this daye is a Satyrical writer one in stead of many that as well at this daye as in times paste the sinnes of Rome crie vp vnto heauen it selfe Rewarde her as she hath rewarded you He procedeth after this to raccompte agayne the plagues and most certayne destruction of Rome whiche is the thirde place of this chapt where also is excedingly well described the most horrible and cruell maner of destructiō and subuersion thereof For God is brought in callyng on and exhorting the soldiours and the cōmissaries and executours of his iudgement vnto vengeaunce and that they should punnishe her moste extremely and spare her not but rewarde her moste aboundantly and mete vnto her by the same measure wherwith Rome hath measured to others For here taketh place that same of the Lorde and cōmon saying with all nations with the same measure wherewith you mete others shall mete vnto you agayne and there shall be geuen good measure pressed shaken and runnyng ouer Therfore seyng that Rome hath robbed the whole worlde and seduced the whole worlde rightly and by the iuste wrath of God was she spoiled and vtterly subuerted The which things did the Gotthes with great faith and dilligence so that we can not doubte also but that newe Rome and that See Apostaticall muste of her enemies whom the Lord hath prepared and of the Aungelles gatheryng the tares be plucked all to peces And what shal become of her in an other world we maye gather hereof that he beateth in so ofte that her euilles shal be doubled without mercy her payne also mourning and greuouse tormentes These thinges doubtles are greuouse and horrible Would God they might be perceyued of faythfull mindes And agayne this place is written out as it were worde for worde of the .50 chap. of Ieremie where you reade to this effecte be auenged on Babilon and as she did do ye vnto her Spoile and destroye sayeth the Lord and accōplish all that I haue cōmaunded thee Destroye her that nothing remaine Intrench rounde aboute that no man escape Rewarde her after her worke according to al thinges that she hath done do ye vnto her For she hath ben prowde agaynst the Lord and agaynst the holy one of Israel Thus sayed the lord in Ieremie Thou seest therefore where the lord hath borrowed his owne at this present Thou seest what euery citie or cōmon welth or man maye promise himselfe yf beyng inriched by the losse of others he liue voluptuousely proudly in this world For God is the same alwayes and his iudgementes are egall agaynst al vngodly And he hath meddled withal the causes of subuersion The vaine glory pride securitie of Rome crueltie couetousenes extorsions slaughters burninges wherwith Rome hath made desolate the whole world But he procedeth more expressely to recite other causes to witte pride glorying ond boastyng securitie riot pleasures and voluptuousenes For it followeth as muche as she hath glorified her selfe and liued wantonly c. And agayne for in her hart she sayeth I sitte a Queene c. He hath borrowed these thinges also out of the .47 of Esaye Where Babylon glorieth thus also and with so many wordes Rome in times past gloried her selfe to be Lady of the worlde and that she shuld be euerlastynge For they stāped in Siluer coynes of Rome eternall They had thought that the kingedomes should neuer haue ben plucked from her She thought therefore that she should neuer haue ben a widdowe And I doubte not but the Germanes borrowed of the Romanes that Germane worde Romen by the whiche they meane to boaste or bragge stoutely whiche semeth to haue ben peculiar and proper to the Romanes She was careles or insecuritie She had not thought to haue bē subuerted She saied I shal see no mournyng I will haue no mournyng chere I wil alwayes singe Gaudeamus The Romanistes at this daye also full brauely make their boaste that no Emperours no Kinges no people no heretikes and Schismatikes for so they terme the enemies of the Romisshe wickednes men godly and learned haue yet luckely assayled Rome That the enemies of the churche of Rome haue alwayes ben oppressed that she hath alwayes triumphed ouer her enemies these seuen or eyght hondreth yeres and more That the shippe of S. Peter maye be sore tourmoyled tossed and ouerwhelmed with Waues and billowes but can not be drowned and therefore that the See of Rome shal be perpetual quene and lady of al realmes and churches c. Rome shal perish vpō a sodayne But heare nowe the iudgement of God for as muche as she is prowde vayne gloriouse carelesse and wicked in one daye shal come her plagues Aretas noteth that by one daye is signified a sodayne destruction and that she shoulde than perish when she would haue thought leste And her plagues he reciteth in order death mournyng famine and fire And stories testifie that these thinges were by the Gotthes fulfilled accordingly in olde Rome whereof I haue spoken before Therfore we doubte nothyng at al but that newe Rome also shall by menne and by Gods Aungelles be torne a sonder and pluckte vp by the rotes And leest any manne should thinke this vnpossible for greate is the power and maiestie of eyther Rome in so muche that he that should haue sayed in S. Iohn his time Rome shall falle should haue semed to haue spoken a thynge as much impossible as if he had sayde the skye shall falle he annexeth incontinently for stronge is the Lorde God that shall iudge her Therefore lette vs not doubte of the falle of Papistrie For the Lorde is trewe iuste and almightie To whome be glorye for euer and euer Amen ¶ A doleful song or mourning and lamentation of Rome which the Princes and Marchaunts make for her The .lxxix. Sermon AND the Kynges of the earth shall be wepe her and wayle ouer her which haue committed fornication and liued wantonly with her when they shal se the smoke of her burning and shal stand a farre of for feare of her pūnishmēt saieng alas alas that great citie Babilon that mightye citie for at one howre is thy iudgement come And the marchauntes of the Earth shall wepe and wayle in themselues because no man wyll by their ware any more the ware of golde and siluer and of preciouse stone of pearle and silke and purple and skarlet and al thynen wood and all maner vesselles of Iuory
is repeted of the marchauntes and saylers Moreouer are touched here also the causes of destructiō The riot voluptuousnes pleasures of Rome the riot and voluptuousnes wherin Rome flowed And likewise are rehersed the welth riches maiestie pride and pleasures of either Rome And here by the way are warned what all worldely men maye loke for in case they addicte thēselues to the pleasures voluptuousenes of this world which was at Rome and is vnmeasurable Nother haue we red in any stories that natiōs haue long continued which haue ben geuen or vanquisshed of worldly pleasures To builde to eate to drinke to be clothed and to haue seruauntes men and wemen is lawefull but a measure muste be kepte in these as in al other thinges the benefites of God muste be acknowledged those may not be more set by than vertu but at Rome in the world passing ouer godlines meane these thinges are only regarded desired and beloued In buildinges and householde stuffe al thinges were sumptuouse vnmeasurable They are of golde which might haue ben well of earth or tinne of siluer where wood or iron might haue serued And when wood was chosen it was not euery wood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thynen that is to saie most excellenste was chosen Thynen appereth to be named of Thyia a tree to the which Theophraste attributeth great honour reporting that the famouse bildinges of olde temples were made therof a certen immortalitie of mater incorrupt induring on houses against all wethers c. Plinie hath this in the .13 boke the .16 cha In seruice also they vse men like beastes nother haue they any beastes for their owne vse but most chosē Thei haue horses mules exceding fine They haue their horselitters Cochees charettes right notable al thinges glister with golde preciouse stones purple and al thinges are wrought and diuised for pride sumptuousnes What shall we saie that the wholt bandes of their men go al in silkes veluet wearing their maisters colours The lord himself of al sitting on the shulders of his Belphouiers is borne on high and is caried on mens bodies as the most noble charette In the meate and drinke of these menne all thinges are moste delicate exquisite and variable Their drinke is costely straunge and immoderate The apparell of their body is also ouersumptuouse Their garmentes glister with golde and are stiffe with pearle Their cōmon garment is of Crimosin satten They vse also oinctemētes and apples of desire which maye both be vnderstande of the fruictes of trees and also of Pomanders conteinyng musche and smellyng swete and of odoriferouse sauours Th ende of pleasures Finally in al thinges is to be considered what the ende or windyng vp is of riot pride and voluptuousenes and howe vnstable is the fauour and frendeship of men Here all things perish ones nothing remayneth safe And they perish verely in one houre that haue ben prouided for many yeres They flee from vs in daunger whiche haue receyued great gayne at our handes Yea they stāde a farre of and out of daunger and lamente the dollefull chaunce no man commeth nere to helpe or deliuer vs. Euery mā is afraide of his owne skinne Let vs learne therfore to truste in God to despise pleasures to put no confidence in fleshe and frendeshippe of men For whilest thou art fortunate thou shalt haue many frendes yf the world beginne to froune on thee they wil al forsake thee in whom thou puttest thy trust and leaue thee in the breres And this is the chiefe ende of all these thinges as I shewed at the first Rome shall fall and be made desolate for euer The lord our God restrayne al euill Amen ¶ The reioycyng of Sainctes for the ouerthrowe of Babilon the drownyng of the fame and the causes of drowning or destruction are rehersed The .lxxx. Sermon REioyce ouer her thou heauen and ye holy Apostles and prophetes for God hath geuen your iudgement on her And a mightie Angell toke vp a greate Milstone and caste it into the sea saiyng with such violence shall that great citie Babilon be caste and shal be founde no more And the voice of harpes and musiciās and of pipers and trompettes shall be hearde no more in thee no craftes man of what so euer crafte he be shal be founde no more in thee and the sounde of a Mille shall be hearde no more in thee and the light of a cādel shal shine no more in thee and the voice of the bridegrome and of the bryde shall be hearde no more in thee for thy marchauntes were princes of the Earth and with thine in chauntementes were deceaued all nations and in her was founde the bloud of the Prophetes and of the sainctes of all that were slaine vpon the Earth In the fifte place of this chapter the Angell of the Lorde exhorteth al the sainctes of Heauen to reioyce The reioycynge of Sainctes for the destructiō of Rome and that for the ouerthrowe of Babilon And this reioycyng of Sainctes is set agaynst the wayling of the wicked For as they lamente for the causes of pleasures taken from them so the Sainctes reioice ouer vngodlines oppressed and the glory of God reuenged We are verely forboden in the Prouerbes of Salomō and in the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles that we shuld not be glad of the calamities of our enemies nother that we should saye euill or do euill to our enemies Whiche thing is perpetuall and commaunded to all men neuer to be altered by any dispensation but we must obserue in the meane time that men doe reioyce diuerse wayes Menne are glad many times of the destruction of their enemies and that of hatred mallice which is not done without sinne Others are glad agayne of the calamities and plages of the vngodly yet bearyng no mallice towardes them whiche are in this miserie vnto whom thei wold doubtlesse haue wished a better state if they might haue ben perswaded to haue tourned but they reioyce rather ouer iustice reuenged and the godly deliuered from the tiranny of the wicked Whereof we reade that the prophet sayde in the .58 Psalme The rightuouse shal reioice when he shal see vengeaunce he shall wasshe his fete in the bloud of the vngodly to witte he shall pourge his affections and euill maners That the Sainctes reioyce at the destruction of the wicked what time he shall see the bloud of the vngodly spilte which he beleueth to be done for a documēt lest we should follow our euill affections that our bloud shuld be shed also of the moste iuste God by his ministers and a man wil saie verely there is a rewarde for the rightuous verely god iudgeth the earth Therfore are the rightuouse glad reioyce when they see vengeaunce And it is not sayde that they couet or wishe for vengeaunce Vengeaunce is mine sayeth the lord I wil rewarde When the lorde therefore rewardeth
they are glad for the deliueraunce and for the veritie established and confirmed and reioyce not of an hatred they heare towarde the oppressours whom they haue wished lost and destroyed The godly wisshe euermore the wicked to be conuerted and to retourne into fauour with God But whē they see them moued with no repētaunce but obstinately to procede and falle into their owne destruction and that God doeth intercepte them for the saluation of the faythfull and deliueraunce of the godly the godly reioyce at this deliueraunce and prayse the iustice of God Notwithstanding that they had alwayes rather if it mighte haue ben that the loste had otherwise led their life but nowe sins it can be no otherwise through their owne obstinate mallice they speake not against the iudgementes of God but rather commende the same These thinges verely do the sainctes in Earth And the Sainctes in heauen sins they be purified now from all affections their reioycing is altogether most pure so that it were superfluouse to reason curiousely therof But where the heauenly reioyce at the destruction of the wicked we maye easely iudge howe muche they erre whiche truste to the helpe or prayers of Sainctes where neuerthelesse they alter nothing at all of their wicked life It shall be easie also to discusse their doubte and carefulnes which feare leest they should be sory also seyng their bretherne sisters frendes and kinsfolkes cōdemned For the Sainctes do plainely consent to the will of God and extolle the iudgementes of God and reioyce therat and can be sory no more And he biddeth heauē reioyce Reioyce thou heauen as many times in the Psal we reade the like phrase vnlesse you had rather by Heauen vnderstande heauēly dwellers such as we beleue thapostles prophetes to be For at the same time when S. Iohn wrote these thinges all thapostles in a maner were slaine And here is to be knowen that the Romish beast had deuoured that is to saye afflicted slaine not only the sonne of God our lord Iesus Christ but also Iohn the Baptist all the Apostles of God and al the martirs of Christ By the prophetes we vnderstande not only those olde but all the faithful preachers of the gospel For we haue hearde oftener than ones before that the faithful preachers of the worde be called prophetes He annexeth more ouer a reason whie they ought to reioyce for God hath geuen your iudgement of her For in the .6 chapt the soules of Martirs crie vnder the Aultar howe longe Lord auengest thou not our bloud on them that be on Earth nowe therefore they prayse Gods iustice whiche as he than promised that he would auenge so hath he nowe auenged in dede And by this place we learne Sainctes do not pūnishe the wicked that all iudgement is geuen to the sonne and that no Saincte in heauen can iudge or pūnish an euil man on Earth For it is moste false that Sainctes are sayed to punnisshe their enemies S. Anthony with the holy fire Valentine with the fallyng sickenes and other with other diseases God alone as in the .16 chapt is declared at large punnissheth and sendeth and taketh away sickenes And moste certayne it is aswel by this as also by many other places of this boke that God slepeth not but will whē he seeth time reuenge and punnish most certenly The martirs when they should die had cōmitted all their iudgement to the Lorde their God He iudgeth nowe the iudgement of Sainctes of Rome that is after his iuste iudgement taketh punnishment of Rome for that she had with wrōgfull iudgement oppressed the Sainctes In the sixte place of this chapter he retourneth to the description of the subuersion of Babylon And it is a moste clere and euē a certen eyely and euident demonstration by a similitude For takyng vp a greate stone in quantitie like a Milstone he casteth the same into the Sea and makyng a declaration of his so doyng Babilō is drouned in the Sea sayeth thus sodaynely and with such a violence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal Babilon be cast downe c. This place is taken out of the ende of the .51 chapt of Ieremie where you reade in a maner the like thinges worde for worde And here is now brought in a strong Angell leest we shoulde thinke that the force of Rome were happly stronger than that it could be broken But it shal be broken of a strōg Aungell And the thinges that be sodainely drowned appere no more Here is signified therefore that with a sodayne destruction Rome shal falle that there shal no token thereof be lefte that it shal falle without any difficultie it shal be made to plumpe and neuer more be sene And the Lorde in the gospell affirmeth that the crime or sclaunder must be punnished with a Milstone hanged aboute the necke yea and that same not to be punnishment greuous enough although emonges the Syrians it was accompted for vile and shamefull sins the crime deserueth to be punnished with a much more greuouse or crueller paine Wherefore Primasius supposed that here by the waye is signied how Babilon for offences geuen to the worlde should be drowned in the Sea as it were with a milstone tied fast to her necke Doubtles if euer any citie if euer any kingedome were hateful by reason of greatest offences and geuen to the Christians innumerable sclaunders Rome and the Romane Empire and euen the Popishenes of the church hath hurte most by sclaūder and yet hurteth Wherefore it is no doubte but that it hath bē plaged most greuously and shal be yet more punnished of the Lorde Agayne by propheticall and figuratiue speaches he signifieth a notable desolation and that the same place should neuer after be inhabited for euer Such like maners of speaches shall ye finde in the .24 of Esaye and .26 of Ezech. and in diuerse other places Al pleasure sayeth he shal perish especially which was wont to be taken of Musicke All craftes shall be layde downe Briefely there shal be no more any habitation for men The causes of her desolatiō In the seuenth and last place are set forth agayne the causes of this subuersion and that more notable three The first Thy marchauntes were princes of the Earth For they that haue occupied marchandise in the church of Rome and yet do are in a maner princes Of whom I haue spoken before Here is noted therfore their pride auarice and sumptuousenes Aretas he calleth them marchauntes sayeth he whiche tourmoyle and trouble the whole worlde as it were certen fayres c. The seconde for with thine inchauntementes all nations haue ben seduced There is no doubte but that inchauntyng and magicke raigne in Babilon and that there is founde plentie of fortune readers necromanciers and inchaunters yet here appereth chiefly to be signified seducing Idolatrie and impietie or errour of doctrine Suche an inchaunter was Iezabel as appereth in the .4 booke of Kinges the .9 chapt
remnaūt wer slayne with the sworde of him that sat on the horse which sword proceded out of his mouth and all the fowles were fylled with their flesh ¶ The descriptiō of the Iudgemente and pūnyshmēt of the wicked Immediatly after the description of the Iudge and a certen lyuely picture a description no lesse euident foloweth of the iudgement that is to say howe Christe hauing vanquisshed his enemies committeth them to perpetuall tourmēts And the Apostle vseth a prepheticall phrase and eloquence For by a fyguratiue speach al foules are called to the slaughter and feaste that they mighte be filled with the fleshe of the slaine And first an allusion is made of such as sley wares and prepare a feaste whereunto they may call their frendes and make them chere Againe an allusion is made to the murther and slaughter of enemies whereof wylde beastes and rauening foules are fylled Nother is there any thyng hereby signified but Christ shall ouerthrowe all the vngodly and take punishmente of the same Before was sette forth a supper for the godly wherewith they are refresshed and fulfilled Nowe is prepared a feast of the solemne slaughter whereby the vngodly receyue no commoditie nother are they satisfied but rather are slayne and deuoured that is to say perish For no man wyll imagine that the wicked shall be ouerthrowen at ones and after weried of wylde beastes and gnawen of foules and so all punnishment to make an end to gether For so shoulde their payne seme to be none at all But by temporal parables eternall thinges are fygured These are taken oute of the Prophetes namely oute of the .66 chapter of Esaye and the .39 of Ezech. where are red in a maner the same wordes what time he couereth wrappeth the vngodly with calamities I meane warres and destructions and with other tormentes as it were killeth them but chiefely when at the laste iudgement he committeth them to paynes euerlastyng And this slaughter is declared of the Angel An Angell stādyng in the sunne stāding in the sunne criyng with a lowde voice Wherby is signified that the daie of iudgement shal be solemnely proclamed with trōpettes shal be a notable daye That no man can be ignorāt herein but that al thinges herof shal be hearde of al mē And therfore he crieth with a lowde and an audible voice And he calleth to gether as it is in Ezechiel the birdes and foules to deuoure kinges and men of al states age and sexe that is to saye that all these muste be called together to suffer eternall punnishement and destructiō Therfore he reciteth dilligently kinges chiefe captaynes stronge men and of all sortes to witte the persecutours of Christ Antichristians vngodly cōtemners and impenitent persones Here is shewed the cause of the damnation and destructiō of the vngodly whilest their enterprise indeuour The cause of damnation resisting of the trewth attempte is shewed Thei are now assembled to fight a battaile against Christe and his electe that is agaynst the churche who the beaste the Kinges of the Earth and their Armies Captaynes and Soldiers fightyng both spiritually and corporally And here nedeth no longe commentary Reade the stories of the churche for the space of these fiue hondreth yeres And see what is done at this daye of Popes Bisshoppes and Princes and of theyr coūsellers and ministers Parliamentes are called in them are blouddy decrees and lawes made agaynst the gospellers And a greuouse persecutiō attempted agaynst the Gospel and churche The spirituall fathers cluster together they consulte and crie out that there muste a counsull be called Wherefore I praye you to the intente that newe doctrine as they calle it of the Gospell maye be cutte vp rooted out and plucked vp by the rootes And therfore they stande alwayes ready to fighte are many times assembled against God his annoincted to fight with the lord Christ and with his chosen Nowe a dayes yf at any time peace be concluded and the moste blouddy warres of Princes taken vp other in the composition of peace or immediately after consultations are had how to oppresse the godly But there is no other kinde of sinne more heynouse than to impugne the veritie of the Gospell And therefore is this the chiefeste cause of the condemnation of the wicked at the same daye It is accompted at this daye emonges the chiefest vertues of Princes if a Prince will geue no place to the preachyng of the gospel but the same shut out wil defende and maineteine the church of Rome with those doctrines rites and ceremonies falsely called olde Suche are called right good catholickes most christen and defenders of the fayth The beaste is taken But nowe is their damnation and the maner thereof annexed And the beast is taken And he speaketh of these notorious offenders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were takē with the maner and taken in dede beyonde their expectation For in the middes of their enterprise are they intercepted whilest they be yet in great hope thinke verely to bring many thinges to passe agaynst Christ and his church then in the selfe heate and wickednes of impugninges and persecution they shal be comprehended Whereupon also this is manifest that persecutiō impugning of the veritie shal perseuer to the worldes ende But who shal be taken the beast and the false prophet which wrought miracles Touchyng these thinges see what is sayde about the ende of the .13 chapt The cause of eternall damnation is agayne here placed For he hath seduced the worlde by his inchauntementes and crafty iuggelynges by his decrees and commaundementes Whereof I haue spoken before oftener than ones as also in the .17 chapt c. The fellowship also of his condemnation is adioyned so many as haue receyued the marke of the beaste and haue worshipped the beast Wherof we wil now repete nothing These things are declared in the .13 chapt And albeit nothing can or ought to be proued by the pictures yet is it neuerthelesse certayne that Paynters haue borrowed hereof those their olde payntinges of the laste iudgement For we see the olde pictures of the laste iudgement painted an hondreth yeres sins and more to represent and exhibite to vs a great rabble of Priestes Monkes and Freres and al maner of spirituall fathers but chiefely the ghostes of kinges and Popes whiche are hurried to helle and burne in the botome thereof with fire euerlastyng Whereupon it is sayde that there go mo priestes thā plowmē to the deuel c. Furthermore the damnation it self and maner of tormēt A lake of fire burning with brimstone or the torment it selfe shal be fire For S. Iohn sayeth these two are cast quicke into a ponde burnyng with brymstone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a lake or stāding water as be in fenne coūtries for such is the description of helle and of thextreme punnishmēt as is also described with Esaye in the .30 cha Tophet was longe
the glory of God and saluation of soules be preached with lowde voyces howe so euer the worlde prohibiteth and persecuteth the same And lette them obserue those thinges whiche thinke that menne maye be restreyned by proclamations fire and sworde that they shall not with voyce moste clere preache agaynste Antichrist The fooles are disceaued They houe fought and contended herin these sixe hondreth yeres and more nother could any man though he raged neuer so fiersely brynge this preachyng a slepe It breaketh out many times and pearseth farre euen at this daye also through out the whole worlde therefore the glory of this Angel is yet euer shal be shinyng and bright and his voyce and preachyng most strōg though the Popes guttes burste Now followeth the prophecie of thaungel She is fallen she is fallen Babilon the some wherof is Rome shall perishe neyther shall any steppe of her be lefte This vttereth he prophetically as he did also in the .14 chapt She is fallen she is fallen greate Babilon She is fallen he sayde for shal falle puttyng the time paste for the certentie of the thing for the time to come whereunto the doublyng also apperteineth Likewise spake the Prophetes Macrobius marueleth at the wonderfull breuitie of Vergill And emonges other things in the first chapt of the .5 boke of Saturnalles wilt thou heare Virgill sayeth he speakynge wyth so muche breuitie that breuitie it selfe can be no more straitely hampered and drawen together And feldes where Troye was beholde howe in very fewe wordes he hathe supped offe a mightie greate Citie And hath lefte no ruine at all Hitherto Macrobius These thinges shal we more trewly and more rightly applie vnto our Prophetes moste eloquent in their tunge chiefly to S. Iohn For what could be thought more briefe than that which he sayed she is fallen she is fallen great Babilon For S. Iohn both expressed the greatnes and maiestie of the citie and swallowed it vp whole no ruine at al lefte for he signified that both olde and newe Rome although it seme stoute inuincible and eternall yet shal it fall and so fall that nothing thereof shal be lefte Which shortely after he setteth before our eyes more expressely by a certen Chria whilest the Angel takyng vp a milstone and casting it into the bottome of the Sea addeth thus or with such a violence shal Babilon that great citie be ouerthrowen shal be founde no more Therefore was there neuer any thing is or shal be in the worlde so mightie or vnpregnable whiche the inuincible power of God can not bring to naught when he will and when the fatall howre is come Olde Rome is loste and that mightie monarchie decayed there is fallē also the superstition and Idolatrie of the heythen that hath reigned many yeres newe Rome shal perish also with her Imaginarie Empire the kingedome also of the Pope or Antichrist which hath longe a sotted and plagued the worlde shall falle and fade with smoke Morouer by a figuratiue speach taken out of the prophetes And it is made the habitatiō of deuilles he sheweth the maner of the destruction by consequēces and is become the habitation of Deuilles c. For so hereby he signifieth that it shall be destroyed that the place whiche was before much frequented of men shal be now the habitation of wilde beastes and deuelles delighting in wildernes as our lord also testifieth in the .12 of Matth. And he alluded to the wordes of the Prophetes Esaye in the .13 chapt And Babilon the beaultie of realmes shal be ouerthrowen as the Lord subuerted Sodome and Gomorrha it shal not be inhabited but beastes shal there take there rest and the satires or heerry shal there leape The same thinges are repeted also in the .50 of Ieremie And in the .51 he sayeth babilō shal be in heapes an habitation for Dragons a wōder and a hissing that no mā may dwel there Not much vnlike things are red in the .26 of Ezech. of the subuersion of Tyru◠And that olde Rome was destroyed I shewed before and for the space of fourtie daies and more inhabited of no man And that we see it inhabited agayne it letteth nothing the veritie of Christes prophecie For Fraunces Petrarche an Italian and emonges the best learned Italians not hindermoste in a certen epistle to a frende expoūding these wordes of the Apostle S. Iohn emonges other thinges sayeth thou art verely become such already for how much better is a wicked man and of desperate doynges than a deuill verely thou art become the habitation or rather kingdome of Deuelles which by their craftes albeit in mās shape raigne in thee c. Petrarche liued and wrote these thinges aboute two hondreth yeres sin◠And in an other certen epistle speakyng of olde and newe Babilon she was sayeth he worste of al others and at that time most filthie and this nowe is no Citie but an house of findes and spretes and to be shorte the sinke of all sinne and shame and that helle of the liuyng signified longe before by the mouth of Dauid than it was founded or knowen And the selfe same agayne what so euer thou haste red of Babilon in Assiria or Aegipte what so euer thou hastered of the foure Labyrinthes or Mazes finally what so euer thou haste red of the waye to hell of the darke wordes there and laques of fire and brimstone compared to this hell it is a fable here is that prowde and terrible Nimroth here is Semiramis with her quiuer here is vnmercifull Minos here is Rhadamante here is Cerberus deuouryng al thinges here is Pasiphae put to the bulle amōgrelle kinde as Virgill sayeth a yonge of double shape Minotaurus by name a monstrouse monymēt of vnlaweful lust Finally here mayest thou see what so euer is confused what so euer is blacke what so euer is or may be fayned horrible hugly c. These things hath he many other moe like these writtē in other epistles But what thinke you wold he write nowe yf he sawe the courte of Rome at this daye whiche is doubtles many wayes more corrupte than it was than Briefly S. Iohn signifieth after the sentence of Christ kyng and iudge that Rome both olde and newe together with gētilisme and Antichristianisme shall perish vtterly and neuer be restored agayne The causes before ones or twise rehersed he repeteth and beateth in againe The causes of the ruine of the citie empire vngodlines idolatrie seducing of al people nations whom they haue cōmpelled by tourmentes to receiue impietie Where crueltie tirāny and bloud also hath place I spake of the wine of whoredome before in the .14 cha and elswhere so that it nedeth not to repete the same againe with tediousenes And herunto is added an other new cause and the marchauntes of the Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the power or plētie of her pleasures were made rich And he saied of the power of pleasure
for of vnmeasurable mightie and vnsatiable luste were made riche For where as Rome abounded with spoiles which it had gredely taken of al nations and brought to Rome they were geueÌ„ to al kinde of riot waÌ„tones Therfore the maisters of voluptuousnes and diuisers of delicate pleasures and marchauntes of most preciouse wares reparyng thither founde euermore theÌ„ that would bie intertayne and set by theÌ„ and were so made riche of the voluptuouse and riotouse life of the Romanes Therefore the Apostle noteth an incredible studie of moste sumptuouse riot in meate drinke apparell buildyng in pampering and cherisshyng of the bodye The Romishe also of our time striken with the same rage both in Italy and without speÌ„de excedyng muche richesse in liuyng riotousely This is sene chiefely in those spiritual fathers Bisshoppes and Abbottes and in the whole Romishe clergie But God neuer suffered riot and tiranny longe vnpunnished in any nation Therfore is Babilon fallen also therfore shal the church of Rome falle too Therefore let priuate men also loue temperancie and to absteyne from riot and pride To the lord be glory ¶ Counsell is geuen to the godly which are coÌ„maunded to go out of Babilon Enemies are stired vp against Babilon they are coÌ„maunded not to spare her The .lxxviij. Sermon ANd I hearde an other voyce froÌ„ Heauen saying come awaie from her my people the ye be not partakers of her sinnes leest ye receiue of her plages For her sinnes ar gone vp to heaueÌ„ the lord hath remeÌ„bred her wickednes Rewarde her euen as she rewarded you geue her double according to her workes And poure in double to her in the same cup whiche she filled vnto you And asmuch as she glorified her self liued wantonly so much powre ye in for her of puÌ„nishment and sorrow for she sayeth in her hart I sitte being a quene am no widowe shal see no sorrow Therfore shal her plages come at one day death sorrow and honger and she shal be brente with fire for stronge is the lord God which shal iudge her The seconde place of this chapt is the faithful couÌ„sel of the lord geuen to the godly The counsel of God for the faithfull howe thei should vse themselues how they should demeane theÌ„selues in the felicitie and destruction of the citie Rome hath in dede of long time ben lady of the world the richesse pleasures of the whole world haue beÌ„ sene at Rome Yf any at Rome or in the prouinces shewed himself tractable obedient to the Romanes loued much the Romishe religion made him conformable to the corrupt maners of the Romanes he was much made of might come as it were by degrees to high promotioÌ„ dignitie to the greatest richesse most chosen pleasures Yf any man would resist the Romish religioÌ„ and would not assente to the Romanes he was vexed with persecution he was spoiled driuen into exile or cast in prison or led to execution Therfore were the godly greuously tempted knew not whither to tourne them As we see the like done at this daye in newe Rome and popish kingdome through out the world Wherefore God which will not that man should perish but be saued geueth here the beste counsell of true felicitie and saluation which so many as obeye are blessed And streight wayes from the beginnyng he sheweth the authour of this couÌ„sell to th ende he might get it authoritie that we might boldely receiue it I hearde saieth he an other voice from heaueÌ„ from God therfore out of heaueÌ„ procedeth this counsell which they that followe obeye God they that obeye it not contemne and dispise the counsell of God And what is this counsell Flee from Babilon is the couÌ„sel of God briefe playne possible honeste holesome doubtles come awaye sayeth the Lorde from her to witte Babilon Rome both old and newe my people that is to saye you that will be called the people of God and be written in the nombre of the citizens of God This same is his counsell and none other The same counsell God by his prophetes gaue to his auncieÌ„t people when they were in the captiuitie of Babilon For thus sayeth Esaye in the .48 and 52. chap. departe departe come ye awaye from thence touch no vncleane thing Come awaye froÌ„ her be ye made cleane which beare the vesselles of the Lord. And Ieremie in the .51 chapt flee from the middes of Babilon and let euery manne saue his soule that ye be not roted out in her wickednes For the time of Gods vengeaunce is at hande he will rewarde her The lorde therefore counselleth to flee and that so our soules shuld be saued For els vnlesse we flee we shall perish Howbeit the Prophetes taught not the Israelites to flee out of Babilon bodily by motion localle as they terme it For Ieremie in the .29 chapt exhorteth the people captiue to dwel in Babilon and to make their prouision there til the time of deliuerie come ¶ What flight is counselled For than must thei come out of Babilon In the meane season he would haue them departe not by bodily motion but by vnlikenes of maners For albeit they shall dwel in the middes of the superstitiouse vngodly and Idolaters yet would not the lord haue them made like vnto theÌ„ That fleyng therefore in this that they should absteyne and refrayne themselues from vngodlines idolatrie sinnes to witte bloud vsurie pride lecherie and other like vices but to perseuer in true godlines and innucencie In like maner now whiter so euâ—r the godly shoulde haue fledde vnder the olde Romane Empire they shoulde euery where haue fallen agayne into the handes of the Romanes like as we also at this daye 1. Corâ—n 5. although we chaunge our place yet haue we poperie eyther nere or iminente Therefore the Apostle sayeth well we muste get vs out of the worlde if we will not be conuersaunt with sinners This therefore is the trewe and godly flight if remaynyng in this world bodily in minde maners we departe furthermost out of the world so that we absteine from al idolatrie and prophane worshippyng if we allowe it not if it pleaseth vs not if we nother assent nor frame our selues to the maners of the vngodly yf we shall not betraye our religion eyther for menne or for worldely gaine So therefore the Christians which liued vnder the Romane Empire fled Rome so that they vtterly absteyned from worshippyng of idolles and the corrupte maners of the gentiles althoug they liued emongs the heythen For that the auncient churches in Asia were suche we haue hearde in the .2 and .3 chapt of this boke Albeit therfore that we also dwel vnder the Popish kingdome and in thempire that persecuteth the gospel yet must we flee papistrie that is to saye popish churches none of the godly ought for worshipping or obedience sake to enter in none to acknowledge allowe or vse